


House on a Hill

by afallenblackrose



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: And a little bit darker, F/M, and smuttier, sailor moon meets beauty and the beast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-04-16 20:34:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 84,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14172873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afallenblackrose/pseuds/afallenblackrose
Summary: He was cursed to always succumb to his darker side. The only way to break it is to have a woman fall for him despite his faults. She always wanted something more than what life dealt her. When their paths cross will they be each other's salvation or each other's doom?





	1. Prologue: It Started with a Curse

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Sailor Moon. I don't own the song "House on a Hill" by The Pretty Reckless. And this story is rated M for the reason, mostly due to dark content for this chapter. Enjoy!

_There's a house on a hill_   
_Living, living still_   
_Their intention is to kill_   
_And they will, they will_   
_~House on a Hill ~The Pretty Reckless_

* * *

Once upon a time, just outside the metropolis of Tokyo there was a house on a hill. This house was like no other house, for even though it was the only one within miles; it couldn't really be considered a house. It was a sprawling mansion that covered several thousand square miles of land. This mansion for all its small charms, reflected the owner of the house. It was stoic and cold, though not always quiet. The owner of the house was a declared 'prince' at the young age of twenty-two, he was considered a prodigy, his business sense sharp and his bank accounts worth millions, very close to billions. In fact, people from _the_ inner circle were expecting him to accomplish even bigger things by the time he reach twenty-five.

But as with most twenty-two year-olds, he liked to party because sometimes he just needed to relax. So every week, there would be a party at his sprawling mansion and all of high society was invited to attend. It was at one of these parties on a cold March night that our story begins…

* * *

A man with raven-black hair and eyes the color of the deepest part of the ocean observed the crowds in expansive ballroom. Everyone who was anyone was at his party that night, and as he continued to watch from the landing above, he couldn't help but smile. It had taken a lot for him to get to this position, but he knew that it wouldn't have been possible if it hadn't been for his father, the one who had started Chiba Corporations almost thirty years ago. At age eighteen, Endymion Chiba had come into his father's company with a seat on the board of directors, and after graduation from the top college in the world, he had taken over as CEO. Within the first year of his taking over the helm, Chiba Corp. had the biggest gains of any company in Tokyo and he had plans to continue that growth.

The party continued on below him as he watched his fellow employees and his best friends flirt outrageously with some of the socialites in attendance tonight. He let out a chuckle as one of his friends was slapped in the face, obviously he had said something to offend her. A flash of red caught his eye and his eyes roamed to find the source. Standing in the middle of the room was the woman who he had seen for the last four weeks now at his parties. He couldn't remember her name, but there was something about her that was…intriguing. But as he was considering descending the stairs to flirt with her, she turned her gaze upon him, almost as if she had sensed him watching her. Their eyes met and something hazy was playing in is thoughts.

_The woman beneath him was writhing, but not in ecstasy. She was writhing in pain. Her moans were soft cries. "No, no," she whispered her voice hoarse and cracking. After many hours of screaming, her voice was nearly gone. She couldn't move to get away. Her hands were bound to the bed, her ankles were spread eagled and bound too. The fight was almost out of her, but yet, the fun was only just beginning for him._

_"Ssh," he whispered running a finger down her most sensitive of areas._

_"No," she said again. "Stop." But her voice finally broke and he grinned wolfishly down at her._

He blinked away the images, feeling confusion swallow him. What the _hell_ was that? He thought and looked back at the woman who's stare had brought about the images, but she had disappeared. He looked frantically throughout the room, but he didn't see the flash of red anywhere. _Odd,_ he thought and swung back his drink, but as he swallowed the amber liquid he knew that he was just kidding himself. It wasn't odd to see those images, considering what he had been up to at these parties of late…

And yes, he knew that what he did was wrong, but he felt some sort of dark twisted pleasure in it. He was a ruthless businessman, not only in the office but in the bedroom too. It wasn't _his_ fault that he had fantasies. It wasn't his fault that the women he took to bed, while completely up for it as they went up the stairs wanted to bolt the moment they realized how dark he really was. And he was dark, he had always known that because of his past. Most of the time he was able to keep his dark tendencies inside, and only allowed himself to indulge in the public sanctity of his own home, but it was getting harder and harder to keep it that way. In fact, it started to get harder the moment that the red head had shown up a few weeks ago…

But no. It was too much of a coincidence. He shook his head and went downstairs to grab himself another drink, his thoughts already starting to muddle over with the effects. If he had been in full capacity, he would have realized that it was more of a coincidence, but his eyes had already landed on his next conquest.

* * *

The red head from earlier watched from the shadows as he flirted with the unsuspecting woman, and knew that something had to be done.

* * *

A few hours later, the last of the party guests were already on their way out, when Endymion came back down the stairs to observe the clean up efforts. One of his friends, Kunzite, was walking back into the house a grim expression on his face.

"Kunz," he greeted as he poured himself a drink. "Where have you been?"

"Putting Alicia in a cab," his friend replied with a pointed look. He ignored the look, knowing that his friend was still judging him and his _needs_. It wasn't his fault, he needed things like any red-blooded human. Like his friends didn't have weird fetishes themselves.

"Did she make it home okay?" He asked.

"Yes," Kunzite sighed and made his way to the stairs. "I'm going to bed." He paused as if he wanted to say something, but decided it against it. But their other friends came down the stairs, joyful smiles on their faces.

"I see the after party is going on," Jadeite smiled as he made his way over to the bar to help himself to a drink. Endymion smiled and slid a glass to him. They were talking and laughing like nothing had changed in the last four years. Except for Kunzite. He was still looking at him with those judging eyes. He was about to say something when they realized that they weren't alone.

Endymion looked up in surprise when he caught the same flash of red from earlier. His eyes met the piercing green ones of the red head, and he felt himself smirk.

"Sorry, ma'am," Zoicite said from beside him. "But the party is over, we can call you a cab if you need it."

"That's not why I'm here," she said.

"And why are you here?" Endymion asked but stopped smirking when he noticed the ways her eyes flashed. She _knew_ , he could tell. But how was it possible that she knew? No one knew except for Kunzite, the girls, and himself. Someone had to have told.

"You know why I'm here, Endymion Chiba," she said her voice a growl. "Your actions have caused this, and it needs to be mended before you hurt someone."

"What actions?"

"Lady, what are you talking about?" His friends asked at once, but he was watching the woman. Her eyes were on him and the same images from before were floating hazily in his mind.

"I curse you, Endymion Chiba and all in this house," she said her voice laced with something. "I curse you to always succumb to your darker side. The only way for you to break this curse is to find someone who loves you despite your flaw. You have until your twenty-sixth birthday, when the last petal on this rose falls. If you don't find someone who loves you by then, then you will die." With a burst of light that went throughout the house, the woman disappeared. As soon as she did, something happened that no one in the house could explain. Energy seemed to sweep through the house, a darkness that swallowed everything in its path. The roses in the garden turned black and grew sharp thorns.

The only remaining rose, was the one the red head had left behind.

During the first year after the woman had cursed him, he had tried to find the woman who would love him despite this dark side of his, but to no avail. Every time he thought he had someone, she would run screaming. After the fourth girl had checked herself into a mental health clinic, he had given up all hope. For who could ever love someone who was as dark and twisted as he was?


	2. Chapter 1: To Capture a Queen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. I don't own the song "Trespassing" by Adam Lambert. This story is rated M for a reason, although it's mostly for dark themes and violence in this chapter. Now on with chapter one!

_Make their faces crack, crack_   
_There's no turning back_   
_Let's go_   
_Well, I was walking for sometime_   
_When I came across this sign_   
_Saying who are you and where are you from?_   
_We don't like when visitors come_   
_No trespassing that's what it said_   
_At least that's what I could read_   
_No trespassers! Yeah my ass_   
_Wait 'til ya get a load of me_   
_~Trespassing ~Adam Lambert_

* * *

Three years had passed since the witch had come into his home and cursed him. Three long years in which he had tried to find a woman to love him, but after the third, he had given up and thrown himself into his work. He was achieving his dream of creating Chiba Corporation into the biggest business ever. The curse, while at first had been a burden, was an asset when it came to the boardroom. Instead of people talking down to him because he was young, people had come to fear him. And hey, it wasn't his fault that some of the CEO's of companies he had acquired had gone missing and left their companies to him…

He grinned a feral smile into the mirror and watched with fascination as his eyes turned pitch black. Sometimes they did that now, and if anyone had been watching him for the last three years, they would know that when his eyes turned this dark he was plotting something, or he was about to unleash his inner beast. This time though he was planning something. He had his eye on one last company, the one that would take his over the top – Tsukino Incorporated. He didn't see there being too much of a problem acquiring it. The CEO - Kenneth Tsukino - had fallen into some dark times himself over the last few years, the only difference was, was that he was taking his company with him. All Endymion had to do was offer just the right amount of money, and Tsukino Inc. would be his.

And yes, his fellow friends didn't understand why he was putting so much time into his work, when as of August this year it would all be over. On August third, it would be his twenty-sixth birthday – the rose the witch had gave him would lose its last petal and the curse would complete. He would die. But he had to do it. If he didn't, his mind would dwell on things he couldn't change.

* * *

Kenneth Tsukino was exiting the elevator in the parking garage when a black limousine pulled up in front of him. The window rolled down, but he couldn't see who was inside, it was just too dark.

"Mr. Tsukino," a cool voice said from the shadows. "Why don't you hop in? I believe I have something quite intriguing for us to discuss." The door popped open, but he didn't go inside. Even though he had been troubled of late, he knew better than to hop into a limo with a mysterious person. "Really, Kenneth," the voice said amused this time. "I don't have all day."

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Ah, I'm Endymion Chiba, now will you please come inside? The next time I ask, it won't be so nicely." Kenneth was shocked, and slid into the limo, the door closing behind him. What could Endymion Chiba possibly want with him?

"So, Mr. Chiba," he said. "What do I owe this impromptu meeting?"

"I'll cut right to the chase, Kenneth. I want Tsukino Inc. and I will pay you handsomely for it."

"I'm sorry, but my company isn't for sale."

"Not even for five hundred million?"

Kenneth's face paled. Did he just say _five hundred million_? How was it possible he could offer him so much? Were the rumors really true? Was Endymion Chiba really that wealthy? "N-no," he stuttered. "Not even for that."

The raven-haired man sat forward his dark eyes staring at him as his index finger and thumb rubbed his chin. He was in deep thought. "You know, I'm surprised, Kenneth. From what I've read about you in the papers lately, I thought you would have jumped at the offer. Five hundred million, that's enough to fund not only your recreational drug habit, but your female escort habit as well. Not to mention, you wouldn't have to answer as CEO for a company…" Endymion trailed off as he watched the other man's face pale more. Ah. He hadn't thought anyone knew about his recreational activities outside of work. It was amazing what one could find if they hired the right people.

"H-how did you know about that?"

Endymion smirked as he handed over an envelope. "I investigate every CEO whose company I'm interested in, just in case they prove less than…accommodating during negotiations."

Kenneth opened the envelope that he had been handed and his eyes widened. Sure enough, inside were pictures of him in the company of different women… He looked up and said with a steady voice. "What exactly are you telling me here, Mr. Chiba?"

"I'm telling you that if you don't take the five hundred million, which really is a generous offer, those pictures in your hand will not only find their way into the hands of your board of directors, but to the media as well. So what do you say, Kenneth? Do we have a deal?" He smiled, sensing that he was close to victory. There was no way that Mr. Tsukino could say no.

Kenneth sighed and closed the envelope. "I'm afraid, Mr. Chiba that there is no deal," he said and watched as the raven-haired man's eyebrows rose in surprise before creasing in anger. "Yes, I know, think about what I'm doing, and that's the thing, I am. Your investigation into my activity was smart, but you're lacking some important information."

"And what would that be?" Endymion asked through gritted teeth. He had hired his best investigator on this case. There was no way that he was going to screw this up. So what had his investigator missed?

"You're making this deal to the wrong person," Kenneth replied. "For you see, Mr. Chiba, I was ousted as CEO two months ago for these activities that you are trying to hold over me as leverage."

"And who is this new CEO?"

"My daughter, Serenity."

* * *

Serenity Tsukino was having a horrible morning. Her alarm hadn't gone off that morning, and by the time she realized that she was sleeping in _way_ past her alarm, she was already over twenty minutes late. Meaning that her outfit that morning had been hastily grabbed from the closet and put on while she had brushed her hair into an extremely high, and tight, pony tail. There was no time for makeup if she wanted to have her usual morning cup of coffee, so she had forgone it – besides she looked better au natural than most women did anyway. Besides the caffeine was going to be needed if what her glance at the schedule last night had been any indication.

The CEO of Reynolds Limited was her first meeting, and she cursed herself for being late. This CEO – Diamond Reynolds - was already looking for a reason that would show to her board of directors why she was a horrible CEO, and really she couldn't blame the guy, but he was being an absolute ass. It wasn't like she had asked for this position.

In fact, two months ago, she had been working her way through the final semester of her senior year of college. She was going to graduate in April with a degree in English. She was not cut out for the business world, she had known that for years. She had seen what it had done to her father, and she wanted nothing to do with it. That's why she had been shocked when the head of her father's board of directors called her one night and told her that something was wrong and that she needed to come home. It turned out her father had been squandering his company, instead of focusing on work, he had a drug problem and the board wanted him out. But the company had to stay within the family. The board knew that Serena wanted nothing to do with the company, but they were desperate. So, she had done the unthinkable and said yes.

Now, two months later, she was regretting her decision. Especially when she realized that because of the transition of power, a lot of other companies were gunning for hers. Trying to merge together, and cast her out. The CEO she was seeing today, Diamond, was no exception.

Although in one way he was different. Before becoming CEO of his company, Diamond and her had grown up together, her father had taken him under his wing and dotted on him because he was the son he never had. There was even talk, that at a later age, he would have loved to see Diamond and Serenity marry. Serenity had scoffed at the idea ever since, but Diamond hadn't. His attempts to woo her had dissipated when she was away for school, but once he realized that she had returned, as the CEO of her father's company no less, they had escalated.

Serenity blew through the office and stopped at her secretary's desk. "Any calls? Messages? Cancellations?" She asked the woman behind the desk, trying to keep the hope out of her voice on the last option. But the woman – a blonde who could easily be mistaken for her sister – Mina heard it anyway.

"Unfortunately, no," she replied. "He's still coming, in fact he called up. He's on his way."

"Great," Serenity moaned and made her way into her office. She went through her messages and drank her cup of coffee as she waited for the worst person ever to show up. As she went through them though, she started to notice a pattern. She had five messages from a man named Endymion Chiba. The name sounded familiar to her, but she just didn't know why. The reason was on her brain and she was just about to grasp it when…

"Mr. Reynolds is here, Serenity," Mina said on the intercom.

She sighed, "Send him in." The door to her office opened and she watched as the man who was intent on making her life a living hell walked in. Diamond Reynolds was tall, around six four, with blonde hair that almost looked white, and the strangest thing of all, he had violet eyes. If she hadn't known this guy's personality, she would have thought – _Damn, he looks nice in a suit_ – but she knew. He was so egotistical that any attraction that she felt disappeared.

"Serenity," he said as he took a seat in front of her desk.

"Diamond," she replied. "So care to tell me why you have scheduled yet another meeting with me in less that two weeks?"

"The same reason as before. I still believe it will be in Tsukino Inc's interest to merge with Reynolds Limited. We could do so much for each other."

"And like I've told you before, I don't see how. The only thing I see is another male CEO trying to swindle me out of my family's company because I'm female." She sat back in her chair, knowing that the expression on her face was one of anger. He looked back at her with a smug expression on his face.

"Oh, Serenity," he said in a condescending tone that pissed her off even more. "We're not trying to swindle you out of your father's company. We just believe that we can do a better job. Besides, Serenity, weren't you getting a degree in something frivolous anyway?"

"Frivolous?" She repeated and couldn't take it anymore. She stood up from her desk and stalked to the door, opening it with enough force that it slammed back and bounced off the wall. "You know what's frivolous, is this conversation. So if you wouldn't mind I have some serious work to do."

"Now, Serenity," Diamond said standing up. "Don't be like this. It's just a natural fact that women just can't handle the business world, like men can. I mean, honestly, you were going into something other than business for a reason, weren't you?"

"Yes, there were many reasons," she said stalking out of her office and to Mina's desk. She reached beneath the desk and flung at him several ring boxes, a box of chocolates, and a box, whose contents made her angrier than the others, at him. He hadn't been expecting it and fumbled with each throw. "One of which was I was trying to get the hell away from you. If you come here again, Diamond, I will personally have security throw you on your ass."

"You're making a mistake, Serenity," he said, his voice a low growl. "You shouldn't be in this position. You should be at home reading those books you love so much, keeping a household and taking care of kids."

"Oh no, he didn't," she was vaguely aware of Mina saying from beside her. The blood in her veins was pumping loudly and she was seeing red. She was notoriously known for having a short temper, and Diamond knew that. So what had that imbecile done? He was trying to get a rise out of her. But what he hadn't planned on was that he was going to not only get a rise out of her, he was going to get a black eye too. And considering how pissed off she was, she was also contemplating making it impossible for him to have children.

"And let me guess, if you had your way, _Mr. Reynolds_ ," she seethed. "It would be _your_ house and _your_ children I would be taking care of. Right?"

"Well, Serenity, you know how I've felt about you since we were kids…" he trailed off as Mina shook her head.

"Wrong answer," she whispered but Serenity didn't hear her. The anger had finally boiled over.

She took a threatening step forward and threw back her fist before she threw it forward, right into his nose. She heard a satisfying crunch of cartilage before she lowered her fist. Diamond was hunched over, blood dripping from his nose in rivers staining the shirt he wore underneath his suit jacket.

"You bitch!" He exclaimed. "You broke my nose!"

She scoffed. "Your lucky that's all I broke, now get the hell out of my building before I make it so that you never burden this world with any offspring. Actually, I should do that anyway. Save civilization from living that nightmare." She took a threatening step forward, but he took the hint and made his way toward the elevator.

"You're going to regret this!" He shouted over his shoulder.

"I doubt it," she whispered and turned to walk back into her office. She called to Mina, "If another male CEO who wants to merge his company with mine comes in for a meeting, don't let him in. I've had about my fair share of masochistic assholes for the day." She closed the door to her office and all but threw herself into her chair. God, she thought that she was getting better with her anger management, but damn. Diamond just knew which buttons to push…

* * *

Endymion Chiba admitted to himself that he had only been surprised once in his life before Kenneth Tsukino told him that his daughter was now CEO of the company he needed to complete his monopoly. He wasn't a person who got surprised often. He liked knowing how things were going to go, he even skipped ahead to the endings of books just so he knew how things were going to end before he even began to read. That's why, when Kenneth had told him that his daughter was now the CEO of Tsukino Inc., he had been surprised and instantly intrigued. He had called multiple times following his meeting, but the woman had yet to return his phone calls and that only fueled his curiosity.

That's why he had gone down to her offices, to not only sneak a peak at this mysterious woman, but also to figure out what this woman was about. He walked out of the elevator and found the CEO's office with ease. The blonde at the desk outside looked at him,

"May I help you?" She asked.

"Is Ms. Tsukino in?"

"I'm afraid that she's in a meeting," she said. "But if you have a seat, she'll see you when she's done, Mr.?"

"Chiba. Endymion Chiba."

The eyes on the secretary's face widened in recognition of the name, and he smirked as he took a seat wondering how long her meeting was going to take. But he didn't have to wonder long as the door to the CEO's office opened with a bang and an angry voice sifted out, "You know what's frivolous, is this conversation. So if you wouldn't mind I have some serious work to do." Endymion looked up in interest, the voice sounding melodic; almost as if it was his siren's song.

A man appeared in the doorway saying something about how the woman shouldn't be acting like this and something sexist about women in the business world, which made Endymion scoff in indignation. Whoever this guy was, he was obviously an idiot and as he took a closer look knew whom it was. Diamond Reynolds, the CEO of Reynolds Limited. Well, that sure explained a lot.

The mysterious CEO appeared stalking out of her office and his breath instantly left him. He should have known when he heard her voice that she would be an absolute goddess. A petite woman with long golden blonde hair pulled back into a high ponytail, wearing a deep blue skintight dress with a gray cardigan and three inch black stilettos looked ready to kill. She stalked over to her secretary's desk and started throwing things at Diamond that he failed to catch. The tone of her voice was stern as she said to him, "One of which was I was trying to get the hell away from you. If you come here again, Diamond I will personally have security throw you on your ass."

"You're making a mistake, Serenity," he said, his voice a low growl. "You shouldn't be in this position. You should be at home reading those books you love so much, keeping a household and taking care of kids." Endymion drew in a sharp breath and shook his head as the secretary whispered, "Oh no, he didn't." How stupid was this guy anyway? Endymion was about to jump in between the two of them, and give this Diamond guy a piece of his mind when Serenity, who seemed to be brimming with anger, said very quietly,

"And let me guess, if you had your way, _Mr. Reynolds_ ," she seethed. "It would be _your_ house and _your_ children I would be taking care of. Right?"

"Well, Serenity, you know how I've felt about you since we were kids…" he trailed off as Mina shook her head. Endymion didn't blame her. This guy obviously hadn't realized the trap that the blonde had put him in.

"Wrong answer," the secretary said as Serenity stalked over to him and punched him in the face, breaking his nose.

_That's my girl_ , Endymion couldn't help but think as the guy held his nose and then made his way to the elevators. He froze as the words played in his mind. _My girl?_ He wondered and shook his head. The blonde turned to walk back into her office telling her secretary, "If another male CEO who wants to merge his company with mine comes in for a meeting, don't let him in. I've had about my fair share of assholes for the day." Before the door to her office slammed closed behind her.

Mina looked at him and said, "Um...I don't think she can meet with you, at the moment."

He stood up and smiled at the secretary. "It's fine. I got what I needed anyway." He walked away already dialing a number on his cell phone. He had definitely gotten what he came for, in fact, as he was waiting for the elevator he had come up with a plan to get not only the business but something else as well.

* * *

When he returned home, Kunzite was waiting for him. "Did you get what I asked for?" He asked.

"Yes, he's in the study." He followed him towards the room. "I'm taking it the meeting did not go well?"

"The meeting didn't go at all, but I did learn some interesting information about this Serenity Tsukino."

"And?"

"And I believe I have a plan to get us out of this, Kunzite," Endymion said with a smile before he walked into the study. And he had. The thing that he had realized while watching Serenity with Diamond was that she was the woman he wanted. She could even possibly be the woman that would break this curse. The only thing that he didn't know was whether or not she would be up for loving his darker side. The man who was sitting at his desk looked up at his entrance.

"Twice in one week, Mr. Chiba?" Kenneth said. "What could I possibly do for you this time?"

"Well, Kenneth, I have a plan to get your company, and you're going to help…" he said with a smirk as he sat down and explained what he wanted from the man.

"You're overestimating her love for me, Mr. Chiba."

"No, not her love for you, but her need to avoid bad press," he said and pushed the phone over to Kenneth so he could dial.

* * *

Serenity came home from work in a worse mood than when she had left that morning. She was still angry at Diamond for his comments that morning, and it had only gotten worse. She was called into a conference call later that afternoon with the members of the board, and they weren't too enthused with her actions. According to them, Diamond hadn't done anything to provoke her. _Stupid Diamond,_ she thought in her head as she placed her keys on the kitchen table. Water droplets dripped onto the table, and she sighed. That was the other thing, she hadn't noticed when she left that morning, but it had been pouring all day.

"Hey, Sere," her roommate Lita greeted her from the kitchen as she slumped into a seat. "Uh…bad day?"

"The worst," she replied and flicked her wet ponytail over her shoulder. "Started with a late start, got worse because I had to meet with Diamond today, and ended with me getting caught in a rain storm. Remind me why I decided to have the driveway repaved today?"

"Because it was cracked in hundred different places and we didn't want to get sued," Lita said as she added some spices to the dish in front of her. "You know dinner isn't going to be ready for another few hours. Why don't you go get dry and comfortable?"

"Sounds good," she stood up and wondered up the stairs to her bedroom. She grabbed a change of clothes and a towel from the closet and began to towel dry her hair. She was in the middle of stripping off her dress when her cell phone began to chime for the bed. She picked it up, but the number on the screen was blocked.

"Hello?" She answered as she shimmied into a pair of medium washed skinny jeans.

"Ms Tsukino?" A cool silky voice said on the other end. She froze with the zipper to her jeans halfway done. That kind of voice just oozed with possibilities none of which had to deal with business… she shook her head.

"Yes, this is she."

"Hello, Ms. Tsukino this is Endymion Chiba calling. I hope this isn't a bad time?"

_Endymion Chiba…_ the name sounded familiar to her and she realized she knew why. It was the name of the guy who had left her five messages yesterday and that she hadn't responded to. "Oh, right. Mr. Chiba, I'm sorry that I haven't had the time to return your calls."

He chuckled, "That's perfectly all right, but I'm afraid that this isn't about that. I actually have someone here who would like to say hello."

"Hi, Sere," her father's voice came on the line.

"Dad?" She asked in confusion. "What are you-?"

"It's a long story, Sere," he replied.

"Not really," Mr. Chiba interrupted. "I found your father in my home when I came back from work this evening."

_Oh, shit,_ she thought. "I see. Dad, what happened?"

"I'll explain it to you later, dear. But for the moment, I find myself in need of a ride. Would you mind coming to get me?"

She sighed as she pulled on a pair of boots. "All right. Where are you?"

* * *

After taking down directions to Endymion Chiba's house, putting on a shirt, and telling Lita to keep dinner warm while she was getting her father, Serenity had been driving for over an hour when she finally pulled into the driveway. As she put the car in park, she looked up in awe at the sprawling mansion. She had been wondering while she was driving why someone would want to live so far away from the city, but as she continued to stare at the mansion, she could see why. There was no way a place like this would fit in the city. Rain continued to pound onto her windshield and she sighed as she pulled on her hood. Counting to three, she opened her car door, slipped out, slammed the door closed and made a run for the front door. As she approached the door opened and she zipped inside.

"Ms. Tsukino?" A male voice said as she bent over to catch her breath. She peered up from underneath her bangs and nodded her head to the platinum blonde man that was standing next to her. "We've been expecting you. Endymion and your father are waiting for you in the study." Serenity straightened and lowered her hood, following the man towards the study. He knocked gently on the door and the voice from the phone answered,

"Come in." The man opened the door for her and ushered her inside before he closed the door behind her. It took her a minute to gain her bearings and when she did, she had to remind herself not to allow her emotions to show. For sitting at the desk was Mr. Endymion Chiba or _tall, dark, and handsome_ she couldn't help but think as she took in his appearance. Raven-black hair that begged to be tousled, deep azure blue eyes that in the light from the fireplace almost looked black, a mouth that promised it could do wicked things, and underneath the dark suit he was wearing she could tell that he was well sculpted. She maintained her poker face – one that would make even the most professional of poker players cry in admiration – as her gaze switched to the elder gentleman that was sitting across from him.

"Dad," she greeted with a stern voice. Her father stood with a sheepish grin and opened his arms for her. She approached him and hugged him briefly before stepping out of his arms. "Care to explain to me what exactly is going on here?"

"My car broke down and I couldn't get a signal so I started walking and came across Mr. Chiba's home. I rang the doorbell, but no one answered, so I tried the door to find it unlocked, so I came inside to escape the rain and to wait."

"And that's when I found him," the same silky voice from the phone said from behind her. She turned to look at him again and he came across from his seat with his hand outstretched to shake hers. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Tsukino."

She shook his offered hand, ignoring the jolt that went up her arm at his touch. "Call me Serenity, please, Mr. Chiba, and thank you for looking after him. I'm sorry if he caused you any trouble."

"Oh, it was no trouble at all, just quite a shock," he said with a smirk.

"I'm sure," she muttered and turned back to her father. "Are you ready to go? I believe we've taken up enough of Mr. Chiba's time."

"Hold on, Sere," her father said.

"Yes, listen to your father, Serenity. You've driven a long time to get here, have a seat and maybe I can talk to you about why I called you earlier." She bit her lip in annoyance. She just wanted to get her father out of here, drop him off at home and then go home and have a nice big glass of wine. Besides there was something about this Endymion Chiba that was making her nervous and if she stayed here who knows what she would end up agreeing to?

"C'mon, Sere, it's the least you can do," her father whispered in her ear.

"Fine," she sighed and took the proffered seat. Endymion went back to sit behind his desk and tried not to have his eyes linger too long on the woman in front of him. If he thought the dress that she had worn that morning was amazing, the black v-neck shirt she was wearing underneath her leather jacket with skinny jeans and high-heeled boots was just downright dangerous. "Now, why did you call me five times yesterday, Mr. Chiba?"

"Call me Endymion, please, and I'll cut right to it. I want your company."

She blinked for a second, before she began to stand. "C'mon, Dad, we're leaving."

"Now, Sere…" her father trailed off.

"Yes, Serenity, stay a moment more. You have yet to hear what I have to offer you for it," Endymion said in amusement.

"And why should I have to stay when I already know what you're going to try to offer me? In the last two months, Endymion, I have had to deal with twenty other CEOs who wanted my company. It's ridiculous, and I'm done. My company is _not_ for sale." She was halfway out of the room when his cool voice stopped her in her tracks.

"If you don't listen to what I have to say, I will call the police and inform them that your father broke into my home. I'm sure the media would love to hear about the former CEO of Tsukino Inc. breaking into my home."

For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she saw red. Her anger was boiling over in her veins and she knew that she wouldn't be as lucky as she had been with Diamond. This guy would probably hit her back if she even tried to punch him in the face. But there were other ways to get to him, she thought as her mind worked overtime.

She chuckled darkly, "How dumb do you think I am?"

"Excuse me?" He asked floored.

She turned around to face him and his breath was taken away when he saw the anger that was burning in her eyes. "You don't think I know who you are, Endymion Chiba? You're the CEO of Chiba Corporation; you've been buying up companies for the last three years. Some of the companies you've bought the CEOs have mysteriously disappeared and bequeathed you their companies in the instance that they can't do it themselves. This is just another ploy for you to get my company. I may be an English major but I've known my way around a boardroom for years. Go ahead and call the cops, Mr. Chiba, my dad's the _former_ CEO of this company. The media doesn't care." She turned to stomp out, leaving a stunned man in her wake.

_Make that three times I've been surprised,_ he thought to himself.

"Sere, wait," her father walked into her path to stop her from leaving.

"Get out of my way," she snarled. "It's your fault that I'm even in this position. I somehow wouldn't put it past you if you had come up with this scheme."

"You're right," Kenneth said freezing her again.

_Four_ , Endymion thought with amusement.

"What do you mean I'm right?"

"This whole thing was a scheme to get you here, but not for your company."

"Then for what?" She seethed.

"Endymion told me about what happened between you and Diamond today, Serenity. He is concerned, as am I, that Diamond will make do on his threat."

"Please, Diamond has no backbone, let alone a criminal mind."

Endymion, seeing where Kenneth was going with this, chipped in, "And yet, five of his board of directors have gone missing in the last month." She turned to look at him with skepticism in her eyes. "It's true. These members were known for disagreeing with Diamond and while they've been missing, they have been replaced with people who have agreed with all of Diamond's decisions."

"Okay, so what?"

"I'm concerned for your safety, Serenity," Kenneth said solemnly which caused her to raise an eyebrow in surprise. He only used her full name when something was wrong. "In fact, I would feel safer if you'd stayed here with Mr. Chiba until Diamond was arrested."

"Dad, I've been taking care of myself for most of my life, I can handle this," she said with a shake of her head and made to leave again.

"You've only been able to take care of yourself because of my money. If you walk out that door, I'll freeze all of your accounts."

_Five_ , Endymion thought with a new appreciation for Kenneth Tsukino.

"You wouldn't dare," Serenity seethed.

"I would," he admitted. "I'm not going to have your safety be in jeopardy because of your stubbornness." She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again as she scrutinized her father's face. He wasn't bluffing. He would really freeze her inheritance, her checking and savings accounts.

"Fine," she turned to Endymion who was watching all of this with amusement.

"Good," he said with a smirk. "Now, you realize until Diamond is caught that you have to stay here. There will be no going to work."

"Oh hell," she shook her head in frustration.

"It's the only way I can make sure you're protected."

"Fine," she seethed. "But I have a few conditions."

"Very well," Endymion said and motioned for her to continue.

"One you drop this whole issue about my dad breaking into your house thing. We all know that that is a blatant lie."

"Agreed. Considered it dropped."

"Two, while I'm staying here if you at all mention buying my company again, I'm out that door faster than you can say chapter eleven bankruptcy."

"We'll table that one for now," he said with a smile. "Anything else?"

"Yes, one more. Third, I get to leave - "

"What?" He interrupted her.

"Let me finish. I get to leave, right now, so I can get some of my stuff and so I can let my roommate know that I'm okay."

"Sounds reasonable," he said with a nod of his head. She shook her head and left the room leaving Kenneth and Endymion to talk.

"You impressed me," Endymion said with a look of appreciation to the elder gentleman.

"Well, I saw how well your plan was working," he sighed. "She's never going to forgive me for this."

"No," he agreed. "But I do have a question. How did you know about what happened with Diamond at the office today?"

Kenneth smirked. "I still have my sources in the office. Besides Diamond called me, to let me know that he would have Serenity as his wife, no matter what. I'm afraid, Endymion, I wasn't lying when I said that she would need protecting."

A fury he couldn't understand went through him. "Don't worry," he said. "I'll keep her safe." _Just not from myself._

* * *

"Who does that girl think she is?" Diamond roared in his brother's empty bar later on that night. He had been angry since he had left Serenity's office. His nose was killing him. The bitch had in fact broken his nose, and as he slung back another drink he couldn't help but think that he should have known better. Even when they were growing up as kids, Serenity had always had a short temper. But he never thought he would see the day that she would turn that temper on him. Something had happened while she away at school.

"You know, she has a point," his brother said from beside him.

"No, she doesn't," he growled into his beer. "Something changed her while she was at school, because before she left, she was intent on being a wife and mother. Now, somehow she has it in her head that she can be an independent woman."

"Diamond," his brother groaned. "You've always known that Serenity wanted more than to be a wife and mother. She wanted to see the world. She didn't want to be hampered by her father's company."

"Shut up, Sapphire. I'll get her yet. Mark my words. Serenity will be my wife."

* * *

Serenity drove back to her home like the hounds of hell were on her heals, and in some respect they were. She'd noticed as she drove down the roads that lead her back into the city that there was a car following her. _Stupid, Endymion,_ she thought to herself as a heavy rock song pounded through her car's stereo. She was pissed off at her father. She was pissed off at Endymion. But mostly she was pissed off at her father. How dare he finally start to care about her? Now, that she was almost twenty-two, he had decided to care. He hadn't cared when she had graduated from high school. He hadn't cared when she had gone off to college. And he certainly hadn't cared when she had to come home to clean up _his_ mess instead of achieving her dreams.

She screeched to a halt outside her house and with a force she put her car in park and turned off the engine. She counted to three again, and left the warm confines of her car before making a dash for the house. It was still pouring outside and by the time she walked into the front hallway, it looked like she had taken another shower.

"Lita!" She called as she slammed the door behind her. Her brunette friend came into the hallway and knew with one look that something was up.

"How's your dad?" She asked.

"A lying pompous ass," was the reply as she made her way to the stairs. "C'mon I need your help."

"With what?"

"Packing."

After explaining what had happened when she left the house, Lita was helping her pack up some stuff. The truth was they both didn't know how long she was going to be gone. How long could it take to arrest a man? Serenity sighed and tossed another pair of shoes into her suitcase.

"I don't know why you're acting like it's the end of the world," Lita said as she folded a shirt. "Endymion Chiba isn't exactly an ugly man. I mean, c'mon, Sere, you've got to admit he's pretty good looking."

"He is," she admitted. "But I don't know I feel like there's something wrong with him. He looked too pleased that I was going to be staying there."

"Sorry, babe, I really can't blame the guy. Have you not seen yourself? You're a total babe!"

"Yeah, but c'mon. He's Endymion Chiba, you're telling me that he's drowning in hot women up to his ears?"

Lita laughed and zipped up the last suitcase. "Probably. But you never know, he might want to settle down."

Serenity scoffed. "Yeah, right." She grabbed her laptop and charger, and put them in her purse. She looked around the room and knew that was everything she could think of. She sighed. "I'd better get going." Lita helped her with her bags down the stairs. At the door, Serenity pulled her friend in for a big hug. They had known each other for years, ever since the brunette had transferred to her high school halfway through sophomore year. They hadn't lost touch when Serenity went away for college and when she had to come back to take over for her father, they had agreed to move in together.

"You take care of yourself," Lita said. "And have some fun with that Endymion. You've been so busy with your father's company, I think you've forgotten how to let go."

"I make no promises," she replied with an eye roll and then opened the door. Two men were standing on her porch, much to her shock. She recognized one of them from earlier, but the blonde didn't look familiar.

"Ms. Tsukino," the platinum blonde greeted "Are these your bags?" He nodded to the luggage behind her. She nodded her head and the other blonde came inside and took them for her. She walked onto the porch and the platinum blonde haired man offered her his arm as he opened an umbrella. They walked down her lawn to an awaiting limo where a familiar face was waiting for her. He smiled at her as he opened the door to the limo.

"I figured that since you won't be going anywhere, that you won't be needing your car," he explained to her at the questioning look in her eye. She nodded her head but continued to stare at him. There was something in his eyes that she couldn't quite name. It almost looked like he was celebrating some sort of victory. He looked like he had captured a queen and there was nothing she could do to stop him – not with her father threatening to freeze her accounts if she didn't stay with him. She couldn't run. She had a feeling that Endymion wouldn't let her. Even if she made it out, she somehow knew that he would always find her. A chilling thought entered her mind – even if Diamond was captured, Endymion looked like he wasn't going to ever let her go, she thought with dismay as she slid inside the limo. He followed her, the door closing with a thud of finality.

What had she gotten herself into?


	3. Chapter 2: Waking the Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Sailor Moon or Beauty & the Beast. I don't own the song "Cold Blooded" by The Pretty Reckless. And this story is rated M for a reason – for this chapter it's because of language, a dream sequence, and some against the wall action. *evil laughter* Enjoy!

_You can't trust a coldblooded man_   
_Girl, don't you believe in his lies_   
_You can't trust a coldblooded man_   
_He'll love you and leave you alive_

_~Cold Blooded ~The Pretty Reckless_

* * *

The limo ride passed in silence with Serenity looking at the window and trying not to flinch under Endymion's penetrating gaze. She didn't know what she was getting herself into for the first time in a while, and the last time this happened it hadn't ended well for her. She was still dealing with those old wounds, which made her nervous for what was going on here. Diamond, who she originally had thought was nothing more than an unrelentless and harmless suitor, was actually a coldblooded killer if what Endymion had told her could be believed. But could she really trust him? He was no saint himself. She hadn't lied when she had accused him of dirty business deals. It couldn't have been too much of a coincidence that the companies that he wanted had CEOs that mysteriously disappeared and had left him to take over in their absence.

_God,_ she thought to herself. Why did she want to be involved in this world again? She could have been in another country, reading books and discussing them with her fellow classmates, not this craziness that had become her life. Damn her father for doing this to her. If he hadn't been so irresponsible she would be finishing her degree away from all this. She would be safe.

The limo cruised to a stop and she was amazed to see the mansion. Had she really been lost in thought for an hour? It hadn't felt like it. She shook herself out of her daze and slid out of the car, taking Endymion's hand to lift herself out. The same electric charge went up her arm, but she ignored it. She didn't know what it meant, and she wasn't sure that she wanted to know, not if she was going to be living with him for the foreseeable future. They walked through the foyer and she almost bumped into him as he stopped suddenly at the stairs.

"Are you hungry?" He asked her, those impossibly blue eyes peering into her own. She opened her mouth to answer him when her stomach let out a low growl and answered for her. She felt her cheeks redden in a blush, while he grinned in amusement. "I'll take that as a yes." He walked away from the stairs and towards the kitchen.

"Well, you did call before I had a chance to eat dinner," she muttered to herself, but he heard her anyway.

"I'm sorry," he said but there was amusement in his voice. "Let's see what Ms. Pots made for dinner." He opened the door to the kitchen for her and she wandered in, her eyes widening as she took in the massive space. The kitchen was modern and all the appliances were stainless steel. The kitchen, although warm in her own home – because Lita wouldn't want it any other way – was very cold here. While Serenity was taking it all in, Endymion moved to the stove to find a pot of pasta still warm.

"Looks like she was expecting us," he said and brought down two plates. "I hope you like pasta primavera." He scooped some out of the pot and put it on the plates before placing the plates on the table across from him. She wandered over and moved to take a seat on the stool that was underneath. He placed his plate next to hers and turned away to another cabinet.

"Red or white?" He asked.

"Red," she replied and sat down placing her fork into the mound of pasta. The scent was getting to her. She hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast and even then it wasn't a lot, just a bagel on her way to the office. She twirled the noodles around her fork tongs and then put it in her mouth. An explosion of flavor erupted and she savored it. Endymion came by with their wine and handed it to her.

"Good?"

"Yeah," she replied swallowing. "This Ms. Pots would give my friend Lita a run for her money."

"Be sure to tell her that, when you meet her tomorrow morning," he said and took a seat beside her. She took a quick drink as he took some of the pasta into his mouth.

"So who exactly is Ms. Pots?"

He swallowed before replying, "She's everything really. She's the daughter of the housekeeper that was in charge of this house when I was a child. She took over for her mother when she couldn't do her tasks anymore, and she's been here ever since." Serenity nodded her head as she ate another forkful of pasta. She was impressed with his answer. Most people, like Diamond, would have just said that she was a housekeeper and was paid to do her job, but Endymion sounded like he cared, that this Ms. Pots was more than her job. Speaking of Diamond…

"Something my father said earlier is bothering me," she said and he looked at her with a knowing glance. He didn't say anything so she continued on. "He said that you had told him about what had happened earlier today with Diamond. But how did _you_ know about what happened?"

"Easy," he said taking a sip from his wine glass. "I was there."

"What?"

He smirked, "Yes, I was there this morning. I came in for a brief meeting with you, but you were already meeting with Mr. Reynolds. I had a front row seat to the altercation that followed. After your little speech about not meeting with anymore asshole CEOs for the day, I got out of there."

"I see." Serenity took a drink and wished that the wine in her glass was something a little bit stronger. It was embarrassing that he had seen her blow up on Diamond like that, but how was she supposed to know that he was there?

"That was a great punch, by the way."

She smiled and they continued to eat their pasta in silence.

After they had finished their meal, Endymion escorted her back up the stairs and to her room. He opened the door to the suite that she would be staying in and then said, "I hope the room is to your liking. Ms. Pots will be by in the morning to bring you to breakfast."

"Thank you," she said and went into the room. "Good night." She closed the door behind her, not giving him a chance to say good night back. She backed up against the door and took in the room before her. It was massive, much bigger than the room that she called her own back at her house. Directly across from where she was standing was a king sized bed with a canopy. The bedspread was a deep blue and looked like Egyptian cotton. There was a chaise lounge at the foot of the bed and someone had already placed her luggage onto it. There was a massive vanity on one wall that also held the closet that looked like it would be hers to shame in size. Further down the wall where she was standing was a desk with a chair where she knew she would be spending a lot of time in the next couple of days. Next to the desk was a door that she could only assumed led to the balcony outside.

She sighed and moved from the door. She was totally exhausted and as she stepped out of her boots, her feet sunk into the plush carpet beneath her with relief. She could get used to a place like this. She unzipped one of her suitcases and grabbed a tank top and a pair of sweatpants before going to the bathroom to change. If she thought the bedroom was nice, the bathroom was too. Not only was there a full bathtub, but a stand alone shower and a hot tub as well. Her eyes popped as she took it in.

"What the hell?" She muttered and shook her head. She was definitely in over her head here, but damn. If this was what being house bound was going to be like she could definitely get used to it. She padded back into the bedroom and couldn't resist running from the doorway and jumping into the bed. It swallowed her and she sighed in pleasure. This bed was heaven and she could already tell that she was going to have some difficulties leaving it in the morning. She buried deeper into the covers and closed her eyes.

_Tomorrow_ , she thought before she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Endymion stayed at the door to Serenity's room for a good ten minutes after she had bid him a good night. He was in awe of her and his beast was in lust. He was fighting to keep the beast within him at bay, knowing that it had been awhile since it had been unleashed. But he didn't want to scare her away, even though…he gently tugged on the doorknob. She left the door unlocked. He groaned as the beast growled in his ear for him to go in and take her. _No_ , he said firmly, but he wasn't feeling it. Serenity was beautiful, curvy in all the right places, eyes that peered into the depths of his dark soul, and that mouth!

He shook his head to clear himself of the thoughts. He didn't want to scare her away. She was his last chance of breaking this curse, and he really thought that she could be the one to do it. With the other three women he had an inkling, but this time around, it was a strong feeling. He turned from the door and made his way back to his study. He had work to do and it would help to take his mind off of her.

_Tomorrow,_ his beast growled as he walked away from her door.

* * *

Lita was getting ready for bed when the phone rang. "Hello?" She answered.

"Hey, Lita, it's Raye."

"Hey. What's going on?"

"I'm trying to get a hold of Serenity, is she there?"

"Uh, well…no."

"Where is she?"

"Raye, you should probably call her tomorrow on her cell. She has a lot to tell you," Lita replied knowing that her friend's story wasn't hers to tell.

"Okay," Raye responded hesitant. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, just a lot has happened."

Raye sighed but agreed to call the blonde the next morning.

* * *

_He moved towards her, an evil glint in his eyes. It told her everything that she needed to know. Even though she was totally spent, he was still going to take her in every way that he wanted. It was her punishment for defying him earlier, but seriously. There was only so much of his ego that she could take before she just burst. Her eyes drifted closed, her body exhausted from the previous three rounds that they had gone through. His fingers touched the side of her breast, and her eyes popped open as she gasped in pleasure. He had to be joking. Couldn't he see that she was already worn out?_

_"Tired, love?" He asked her a smirk playing on his lips. She gazed up at him and wanted to punch him in the face. Of course she was tired! They had just gone through three rounds of thorough fucking. He had taken her in ways that she had only read about in dirty fanfics. And here he was,_ smirking _at her! That son of a… "I can see that you are, so I'll take this one slow." …bitch. He raked his fingers down her torso, before gripping and thrusting her hips upwards. It was then that she noticed the leather stir-ups. Oh, no… he wasn't going to… was he? But she should have known better as she watched him put each of her ankles in a leather stir-up and strap her in. She wanted to groan. She wanted to roll her eyes, but she knew better than to do that around him._

_He would definitely make her pay for it. Those same tantalizing fingers that had been on her hips were now caressing their way inside of her. She wanted to moan at the contact, but he didn't allow that. So she opted to grip the sheet beneath her instead. He pumped his fingers in and out of her, taking her higher with each thrust. Just as she felt her orgasm reach its crest, he pulled out his fingers. Not allowing her to come just yet. She squirmed beneath him trying to find some sort of release. The pressure was so insufferable and her body was so tired, she didn't know how she was able to function. But she was, as he finally gave her what she wanted._

_He slammed into her, and she grasped the sheet beneath her so hard that her fingernails tore holes into the material. He set a rapid rhythm never giving her a chance to catch her breath, as she gripped the sheet harder. The familiar sensation of her orgasm about to unspiral filled her lower stomach, and with one last thrust they came together._

_He collapsed on top of her, nuzzled her breast and then lifted his head up to stare at her. "Will you ever misbehave that way again?" He asked her, his voice husky._

_"No…sir."_

Serenity awoke with a gasp, sitting up in bed her hair sticking to the back of her neck. Her heart was thundering in her chest and her head was pounding, but not from the wine she had to drink last night. It had been over two years since she had had a dream like this. Two long, great years where she didn't have to remember her past while she slept. So why was she dreaming about it now? She took a long ragged breath as she tried to get her heartbeat to slow. Did this have something to do with Endymion? She thought as she ran her hand through her bed-messed hair. It was the only thing that had changed… She sighed and was about to go back to sleep when her phone buzzed from the pocket of the jeans she had worn yesterday. She crawled over to the other end of the bed and dug into the pocket to retrieve it before it went to voicemail.

"Hello?" She answered out of breath.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to get a hold of you since yesterday. I call Lita and she told me that you have a lot to tell me. What's going on?" Her friend Raye yelled into the phone. Serenity didn't even wince from the high tone, she was used to her loud voice. Raye Hino was her roommate while she had been at college. She was also the one who had helped pick her off the floor when she desperately needed it. She and Lita were the same, they were the sisters she never had and who would do anything to help her if she asked. "Serenity?!"

"Yeah, well, thank my amazing father for this one," she replied.

"Oh, god, what did that asshole do now?"

"Let me start from the beginning," she replied and informed her friend about everything she had missed the day before.

At the end of her tale, Raye hissed, "Your father is a complete asshole."

"Tell me something I don't know," Serenity said into her phone as she started unpacking her stuff. "But I guess I should be relieved that he's finally starting to care?"

"Yeah, right," Raye scoffed. "So tell me more about this CEO, like his name!"

"I didn't tell you his name?"

"No, you just called him tall, dark, and handsome."

"Oh, well, it's Endymion Chiba." The line went silent for a minute and Serenity looked at her phone to make sure that she hadn't lost Raye. The call was still connected. "Raye?"

"Endymion _Chiba_? As in, the CEO of Chiba Corporation? The one who's been buying up all these companies where the CEOs mysteriously go missing?"

"The same."

"Shit, that's it I'm coming over there."

"Raye…"

"No, don't you 'Raye' me. You can't tell me that you're staying with this guy and then tell me not to worry. I'm getting on the next flight."

"No, you won't," Serenity sighed. "It's fine, really. I have other pressing issues other than Endymion Chiba."

Her friend chuckled darkly, "Yeah, like what?"

"I'm dreaming about him."

"Well, that's to be expected, especially if he's as tall, dark and handsome as you say. But c'mon, Sere, you should know better than to get involved - "

"Not him, Raye. _Him_."

Silence again before, "Fuck. That's it. I'm really getting on the next flight out of here. Screw my final exam, I'm going to bomb that class anyway."

"Raye, you don't need to rush out here just because I'm dreaming about _him_ again. It's not worth flunking your class."

She sighed. "If you're sure…"

"I am."

"Fine, but I'm still coming out there. Let's see, my exam is tomorrow…" Serenity heard the clicking of keys. "Okay, I'll be there by Friday. Are you going to be okay until then?"

"Yes," she sighed. "I'm not _that_ fragile, you know."

"I know, Sere, but after what you've been through…"

"Yeah, yeah," she looked at the clock. "Look, I got to take a shower before the housekeeper comes to take me to breakfast. So Friday?"

"Friday," Raye agreed. "I'll call you tomorrow, as usual. Later, Sere."

"Later, Raye." She disconnected the call and then grabbed some clothes before going to try out that shower.

* * *

Even though the shower had been great – and it _had_ been great, she really needed to get a showerhead with a massager for her bathroom when she got out of here – she still couldn't stop thinking about the dream she had. She thought that she had left that life behind a long time ago, and yet here she was dreaming about _him_ like she was still there… She shook her head refusing to have her mind go there again. So it was one dream, it wasn't the end of the world. Maybe something about yesterday caused her to think about it, but that was it. She threw her wet hair into a turtle clip just as someone knocked on her door. She went to answer it hoping that what she was wearing – her holiest boot cut jeans, and a black Fall Out Boy concert t-shirt – was okay for breakfast.

When she opened her door, she stared for a minute at the petite woman wearing a white blouse and a blue pleated skirt. The woman's hair was cut into a pixie cut and was…

"Is your hair blue?" Serenity found herself asking out loud.

The woman let out a small giggle, "Yes, it is, ma'am."

"Ma'am? Oh no, I'm not that old yet, please, call me Serenity."

"As you wish, Serenity. Are you ready? Breakfast is being served and Endymion and the others are expecting you."

"Of course," she walked out of the room closing the door behind her and followed Ms. Pots down the stairs. "I had some of your pasta primavera yesterday, Ms. Pots, and it was delicious."

"Thank you," the woman beside her blushed. They lapsed into silence as they walked towards a room that Serenity hadn't been to yet. Just off to the side from the kitchen, was the dining room, where there was a table that was big enough to sit at least five more people than the five that already sat there. Hanging above the table was a crystal chandelier that reflected the morning light throughout the room. Serenity was staring at it in awe when Ms. Pots ushered her into a room and to one of the empty chairs. Endymion was to her left and the platinum blonde guy from yesterday was to her right. Across from her was the other blonde from yesterday.

"Good morning," Endymion greeted her, his eyes searching her face. He frowned when he saw something there that he didn't like.

"Coffee, Serenity?" Ms. Pots asked from beside her.

"Please," she replied as the woman reached to fill her coffee cup. "Good morning," she said to Endymion as she stirred in some milk and cream to her coffee.

"There wasn't a lot of time for introductions last night, so, these are my friends and coworkers. You remember Kunzite," he pointed to the guy she was sitting next to on her left. "And Jadeite," this time he pointed to the blonde across from her who waved and winked at her. She smiled in return. "Next to Jadeite is Nephrite." This man had long brunette hair and piercing brown eyes. He smiled softly at her before turning back to the paper that was in front of him. "And on the other side of Kunzite, is Zoicite." An auburn haired man with his hair in a low ponytail – how was it possible that some of these guys had longer hair than she did? – peered around Kunzite and waved.

"Hi, I'm Serenity," she said to all of them. "But I'm pretty sure you knew that already." They smiled at her small joke and Ms. Pots came back from the kitchen with a plate of scrambled eggs for her. She placed it in front of her.

"I hope scrambled eggs are all right," Ms. Pots said. "If you want anything else…"

"No, these are perfect, thanks," she picked up her fork and began to eat.

"So, Serenity," Jadeite said. "I hear Diamond Reynolds is after you and that's why you're staying here with us."

"Jadeite," Endymion said his voice low in warning.

"Pretty much," Serenity replied to his question ignoring the man to her left.

"How did you two even meet?" Nephrite softly asked.

Endymion was about to say something to this friend too, but Kunzite interrupted. "Let her answer, Endymion. I think it would be best to know what we're dealing with when it comes to Diamond."

Serenity watched all of this while nibbling on her eggs, and when all five guys turned their attention to her, she swallowed and started to explain how her and Diamond had met. "Well, the Reynolds lived right next door and when Emerald and Artemis, Diamond's mother and father, died when we were twelve, my father took him under his wing and groomed him so he could take over the family business when he became eighteen. Even though we were always thrown together because he was always at my house or with my father at the company, we didn't really talk much. It wasn't until we were both sixteen that my father made the insane comment that wouldn't it be something if Diamond and I ended up together?" She took a sip from her coffee cup to pause.

"Okay, your father said it, but you were both sixteen. Why would Diamond take such a comment so seriously?" Jadeite asked a crease furrowing his brow.

"That's the thing, whatever my father said, Diamond took as law. So, yeah, we were both sixteen, but he thought that if my father wanted it then it was something that Diamond wanted too. His flirtations started and never stopped, not until I went away to school and he had to stay here and take over the company."

"And then, you had to come back?" Kunzite asked.

"Unfortunately, the board of directors wanted to keep the company in my family and since I was the only option they asked that I stepped in and take over for my father. Once Diamond heard the news he was at my door, starting where he left off, only this time it was bigger."

"Bigger?" Endymion piped in and Serenity started, forgetting for a moment that he was sitting next to her. He had been quiet since she had started her tale about Diamond.

"You were there yesterday so you saw probably all that stuff that I threw at him?"

He nodded his head. "Right. I saw boxes of chocolates, a few jewelry boxes and what was in the white box?"

"Something he _should not_ have been buying for me, especially because it was in the right size," she shuddered at the thought of the lingerie that had been in the white box she had thrown at Diamond yesterday. "But the jewelry boxes weren't necklaces or earrings, they were engagement rings."

"WHAT?" All the guys exclaimed in shock, and in Endymion's case anger.

"I told you, his flirtations became bigger. He started assuming that we were going to get married now that I was back from the states. I even heard a rumor that he was house hunting…" she shook her head and wished that the coffee in her cup was something stronger even if it was nine in the morning.

"Was that what he was doing yesterday when you met with him? Proposing?"

"Kind of. He was proposing that we have our companies merge together," she rolled her eyes. "It wasn't the first time either, or the first male CEO to do so." She said this with a pointed look at Endymion who ignored her.

"And you said no?"

"Yep."

"And that's why Diamond is after you? Because you not only said no to his proposal of marriage but his proposal to merge your companies together?" Zoicite asked.

"I also punched him in the face," she added with a shrug as the men looked at her in awe. "But pretty much, I think so. Diamond isn't used to not getting what he wants." Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she took it out to find Mina calling her. Her secretary was probably wondering why she wasn't in the office yet. "I have to take this," she said and pushed back her chair walking into another room.

"She punched Diamond Reynolds in the face?" Jadeite asked as soon as she left.

"Yeah," Endymion commented. "They were arguing about something, and he said something sexist about how she would be better suited running a household, _his_ household and she lost it."

"Well, that seals it," the blonde haired man said with a hint of laughter in his voice. "She's perfect for you."

"I hope so." He looked with longing into the room where Serenity had wandered off to take her phone call and felt the familiar feeling of lust and his beast was very much aware of her especially in her tight t-shirt that showed every curve. He hadn't slept well the night before, haunted by dreams of her underneath him, her back arching… He shook his head to clear those thoughts out of his head, even though the beast was growling to make her his soon. But he had to take it slow if he wanted her to be the one to break this curse, to free them all…

"She already is," Zoicite commented. "You walked away from her door last night after she went to sleep. Usually you would have made a move by now…"

"What are we going to do about Diamond?" Nephrite asked changing the subject. "From what we know of him and from what Serenity has just told us, you know he's not going to be happy to find that we have taken her in. He'll do anything to get her."

"That's why she's staying here. With all of us on it, we'll be able to protect her." He continued to watch the doorway, waiting for the blonde to return, as he tried to fight feelings down.

* * *

Mina was not happy that Serenity wasn't coming to the office that day. She wasn't happy that Serenity wasn't coming in for the foreseeable future, but she understood that with Diamond on the loose she had to protect herself until something was done about the CEO. With this change of plan, a lot of things had to be changed to accommodate. Serenity had meetings that were changed to Skype calls. Documents that needed her signature were sent to her e-mail and she sent them back with her digital signature. She was in the middle of a conference call with the board of directors who were concerned that the CEO of their company was not going to be able to come into the office for the foreseeable future, when Ms. Pots knocked on her door to take her down to dinner.

"Hang on a second," she said to her computer and turned to face the woman. "I have so much work to do, would you mind terribly bringing me dinner?" Ms. Pots smiled at her and promised to be back with a plate in a few minutes before leaving the room. Serenity sighed rubbing her temples. She knew when she agreed to stay here for her protection that things weren't going to be easy, but honestly this was just ridiculous. She knew that she had a lot of work to do over the next couple of days, so much in fact that she would be surprised if she would make it down to the dinning room at all.

* * *

Diamond was seething as he flipped through the pictures his tail had taken of Serenity's house over the last two days. Her car hadn't moved from in front of her house. The only person who had been seen coming and going from the house was her roommate Lita. The blonde minx was nowhere to be seen. He had heard the rumors that she was under house arrest but was still making her meetings thanks to the Internet. The question he had was why was she on house arrest? What had she done since he had seen her last? Or had she heard about his plans to make sure that she would become his despite her protests?

The thought was perplexing because if it was true then it meant that he had a leak in his office. Someone here had told someone close to Serenity of what he had planned and she was taking measures to make sure it didn't happen. But if that were the case than why would she still be in her house? She knew he knew where she lived, why would she leave herself so vulnerable? Unless she _wasn't_ in the house.

"Is the roommate there?" He asked the tail.

"No, she left for work. Why?"

"Check the house. I want to know if Serenity is even there."

The line went dead for twenty minutes while the tail went into the house to check for the stubborn woman. While he was searching, Diamond thought about who the leak could possibly be and to _whom_ the person was leaking information to. Sapphire was still close with Kenneth after all these years, and he knew what Diamond had planned for the beautiful blonde, was it possible that his own brother would betray him? Yes, it was, he thought as he remembered how Sapphire and Serenity had always been close while they were kids. He grounded his teeth together in anger.

"She's not in the house," the tail came back onto the line.

"Find her!" Diamond roared. "I want to know where she is!"

"Yes, sir," the tail said and hung up.

Diamond clutched the phone in his hand as he tried to reign in his temper, but there was only so much he could do. Serenity was gone and he wanted to know where she was. He couldn't marry her if she wasn't around, he thought as he looked at her Facebook profile picture with longing. _I'll find you, Serenity, and when I do you will be mine_.

* * *

Endymion was seething with anger as he sat down to dinner with his friends. It had been two days since he had seen Serenity. She hadn't been down for breakfast or dinner since she had taken that phone call a few days ago. When Ms. Pots came in with her apologies, his anger grew more and more. He needed to see her, he was already feeling restless and his control on his beast was weakening with each day that he didn't see her. He understood that as CEO of a company who couldn't make it into the office that she had a lot of work to do to accommodate this change, but c'mon! Even _he_ could take a break now and again to eat. He had felt somewhat better when Ms. Pots took plates up to Serenity's room, knowing that she _was_ eating, but the anger returned when they came back almost just as full as when they left.

Serenity wasn't eating. His friends waited with abated breath as Ms. Pots came into the room with the same look on her face that she had been wearing for the last few days. "Serenity sends her regards again, but she's still working…" His anger snapped and he pushed back his chair, bounding past the stunned housekeeper as he made his way to the stairs. He pounded up them and before he knew it he was standing in front of Serenity's door. He didn't even bother to knock. He just walked right in, slamming the door closed behind him.

Serenity looked up, startled, with her fingers frozen above the keyboard of her laptop. He winced when he saw her face. There were bags underneath her eyes, she hadn't been sleeping either. He tried to control his anger, knowing that she didn't deserved to be yelled at, especially while looking like _that_ , but once it snapped, it snapped. There was no reigning it back in.

"What the hell?" She asked, anger lacing her voice.

"You have to eat," he replied his tone sharp. "You can't work yourself to death, Serenity. It isn't healthy."

"I'll eat when this is done, and the longer you stand here yelling at me the longer it's going to take." She turned back to her computer and tried not to rub her aching temples with him the room. It wasn't just the eating thing that was making her feel rundown. She hadn't been sleeping, the dream that she had had on her first morning here had only progressed and got worse. Making her stay up late into the night so that way she wouldn't dream. Her body was rundown, but there was still work to be done.

"No, you're going to take a break and eat something!" He shouted which caused her to look up again in shock. Why did he care so much if she ate or not? It wasn't like he _cared_ …or, no…she looked into his eyes and saw something there that shocked her. He _did_ care. That's why he was so angry. Well, hell, why did he care so much? They had only known each other not even three days. And yeah, there had been that jolt of electricity when they had touched but that was natural right? She closed her eyes briefly the thoughts muddling her already clouded mind.

"No, not until this is done," she said and turned again to her computer. But she wasn't given a chance to start typing again, because Endymion crossed the room and slammed the top of her laptop down. She pushed back against her chair in shock and then the anger settled in. She stood up furious. "What the fuck?" She exclaimed.

"You're taking a break and having something to eat," he responded his voice eerily calm. "You're wasting away, Serenity. Your job is not worth this."

"Of course it's not, but I have to do something to make up for the fact that I'm under house arrest," she spat back. "Brilliant idea, by the way."

"I told you it was for your protection."

"From what an obsessive CEO who has this insane idea that I'm going to marry him? Please, he's about as dangerous as a cat with a knife."

"You don't know that, Serenity. Diamond is obsessed with you, there's no telling what he'll do…"

She rolled her eyes. "I could say the same thing about you. You don't know a thing about me, and yet you offered me a place to stay. Why?"

It took him a minute to respond. "Your father trusts me to protect you, isn't that enough?"

"No, it's not. I stopped trusting my father years ago."

Endymion didn't know what to say after that, knowing that she was right. Why did he offer her a place to stay when he didn't even know her? Well, the answer was obvious for him. From what he saw of her the day they met, he knew that she would be the one to break the curse. But he couldn't tell _her_ that, she would think that he was insane and in a way wasn't he? On the other hand, he could answer her like the beast wanted him to – by throwing her up against the wall and taking her in every way that he knew. _Yes_ , his beast purred and he took a step forward.

"Endymion?" She said watching him with wary eyes. She knew that look in his eyes all too well, and it scared her. The last time she had seen that look in someone else's eyes it had taken her years to get over it even though she wasn't sure she was.

"Just shut up, Serenity," he growled and slammed his lips against hers. The jolt of electricity that had passed between the two of them when they touched was nothing compared to what happened when their lips met. Fireworks exploded behind Serenity's eyes and Endymion's arms encircled her waist bringing her closer to him. She could feel his need for her pressing against her stomach and she knew that she shouldn't do this. It wasn't right. They had only known each other three days, and they _barely_ knew each other at that. What was he thinking? But the logical part of her brain instantly shut up when his hands went underneath her shirt. His touch on her bare skin was maddening and her brain shut up.

She gasped as he unsnapped her bra and he took advantage of her opened mouth, and thrust his tongue inside. He backed her into the wall and shoved her shirt upwards. Their lips broke apart and she lifted her arms as he dragged her shirt off of her body. Once the shirt was off, he flung it behind him and slipped the straps of her bra off of her shoulders. Her chest was exposed to him and he drank her in hungrily. Serenity was trying to get her bearings back, knowing that what she was doing with Endymion was wrong and the way he was looking at her she knew that this was _really_ wrong. His eyes were pitch black, not azure blue, but black. _No_ , she thought before his lips were on her breast.

Her nipple was in his mouth before she could think of the reason why this was wrong. He suckled and bit driving her crazy as a feeling that she hadn't had in a while began to pool in her lower stomach. _Oh, hell_ , she thought as her head lolled to the side as he squeezed her other breast. He kissed down her torso before his fingers undid the snap and zipper of her jeans. He pulled them down her legs and pushed them aside. He raised an eyebrow as his gaze raked over her and she knew why. Due to her lack of sleep over the last few days, she didn't remember putting items of clothing on, and apparently, today she had forgotten to put on underwear.

Endymion was smirking as he drew her legs up and around his hips. He was right _there_ and she could feel him ready to enter her. She bit her lip as he eased inside of her and let out a moan when he was fully inside. They rocked together until he couldn't take anymore and began slamming into her, making her gasp at the contact and the speed. He brought her to her orgasm quickly and didn't give her a chance to catch her breath as he continued to thrust into her. She came again and with a final thrust he came inside her.

Her thoughts were more muddled than they were before and the wariness that she had been fighting finally overcame her. He lowered her gently to the floor and she curled up against the wall watching him with tired eyes. A brief startling thought went through her head, he had never taken off his clothes. He had fucked her against the wall fully clothed. _What the hell?_ She thought but was too tired to say anything about it. He watched her, his eyes still black with a wolfish grin on his face. As he walked towards the door to her room, he said something to her that caused her body to go cold.

"You're going to be so much fun to break."


	4. Chapter 3: More than He Bargained For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Sailor Moon. I don't own the song "Slut Like You" by P!nk. And this story is rated M for a reason. In this chapter, there is language, dangerous knife throwing, and some hand job action. You've been warned.

_You don't win a prize with your googley eyes_  
_I'm not a cracker jack you can't go inside_  
_Unless I let you Jack_  
_Fuck damn, what's your name again?_  
_You male, come now_  
_You caveman, sit down_  
_Ssh don't ruin it wow check please_  
_I have a little piece of you_  
_And it's just like wohoo, wam bam thank you man_  
_Boo-hoo, I'm a slut like you_

_~Slut Like You ~P!nk_

* * *

Endymion was sitting in the darkness of his study nursing a bottle of whisky. He didn't even bother with a glass, he was drinking straight from the bottle. He was reflecting about what had happened. Part of him was gloating that he had conquered _her_ , against the wall while he was still fully clothed. The other part of him was drowning in despair. How could he have done that so soon? _And_ fully clothed? _And_ against the wall? Fuck. Didn't she at least deserve to have their first time together in bed? While he was naked? But no…the beast didn't let him take off his clothes, just the undoing of his zipper before he pounded her into orgasm. Twice.

He groaned and rubbed his fingers over his temples. Well, that was it, Serenity was probably going to run now. He had definitely scared her away, especially with what he had said before he had left her. She had been curled up against the wall, spent, before a look of horror passed through her eyes. _You're going to be so much fun to break_ , he had said. What did he even _mean_ by that? And why had she looked so scared? Sure, most women would have been, but there was something else there. And Endymion wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that she wasn't a virgin.

It was a shocking fact to think about that Serenity – who literally looked like an angel on earth – wasn't perfect, pure, untouched. She had been had before, and even though a logical part of his brain reminded him that just because she didn't bleed the first time didn't mean that she wasn't a virgin, he knew. She had known what she was doing. She had been taken before, and for some reason that made him angry. Who had she been with and why? Had it been love? And how could she betray him in such a way? Didn't she know that they were supposed to be together? That they were meant for each other? _Whoa, easy there,_ Endymion thought to himself. Those kinds of thoughts were starting to border on obsessive Diamond territory, and that was one thing he didn't want to become. It was going to be hard enough to make Serenity love him after what he had just done to her _and_ because of his beast, but to add in a Diamond complex? He might as well just throw in the towel now.

But still…whom had she been with and did he mean anything to her now? He needed to know. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't trying to seduce someone who was already taken.

A soft knock on his door made him freeze. It wasn't possible for it to be Serenity on the other side of the door, was it? The way she had looked at him when he had left her… No. She wouldn't be in any state to come after him in his study. So it had to be one of his friends. "Enter," he said and took another swig from the bottle. The door opened and Zoicite walked in. He took a look at the bottle and the look on his face before he sat down.

"I take it things went well?" He asked with a sarcastic tone.

"I fucked her against the wall," Endymion replied and watched as his friend's eyes widened in shock. "Fully clothed." Zoicite's jaw dropped. "So, yes, I think it went fantastically well." He took another drink and swallowed.

"You didn't…" Zoicite trailed off as he saw the look in his friend's eyes. "Oh, hell…Endymion, do you want to break this curse at _all_?"

"Of course I do, but you didn't see her, Zoi. She was standing in front of me, she was so angry…" he trailed off as he thought about the way Serenity had looked after he had slammed her laptop down. He had never known a beauty like hers before. Her cheeks had taken on a pinkish hue because she was losing her temper. Her chest was heaving and she was wearing another low cut top so he could see her ample cleavage. He groaned and took another drink. "I didn't mean to do it this way. I wanted to know her first, but the beast took over."

"You need to apologize."

He pursed his lips knowing that his friend was right. But at the same time his beast was growling at him. _Like hell_ , it said. There was no need for _him_ to apologize. He had taken her and she enjoyed it! He hadn't heard her complaining or telling him to stop. Why should he apologize? Another drink. He was becoming an alcoholic because of this girl. Because of this curse. "I know," he said. "I need a favor, though."

"What?"

"I need you to look into Serenity for me."

"Look into Serenity? Like a background check?"

"More than that," Endymion replied. "I need to know everything about her. Her friends, her lovers, everything."

"Her lovers?"

"She had been taken before. I want to make sure that this isn't all for nothing."

"I see," Zoicite replied and got up from his chair. "I'll start right away."

"Thank you," he said and watched his friend leave him to his misery. He took another drink and stared off into space. He knew he should feel bad, he _did_ feel bad, but at the same time he was picturing her and the way she had looked as he came inside her. He groaned as the beast growled with need again. All he had to do was go up the stairs… He threw the bottle across the room in frustration. How was this possible that he still needed her? Wanted her? Even though he had just had her? He rubbed his temples again and sighed. _Please don't hold this against me, Serenity._ He thought and began to clean up the mess he had made.

* * *

Serenity was curled around a pillow her eyes open. She was exhausted mentally and physically. But yet she still couldn't find it within her to go to sleep. She was thinking about what had just happened. About how it had felt…well, it had felt _right_ , until… She sighed and squeezed the pillow tighter to her chest. It had felt right until he had told her _It's going to be so much fun to break you_. She tried not to whimper, but it escaped from her lips anyway. She hadn't pinned Endymion to be that kind of man, but she should have known better. Somebody that tall, dark, and handsome couldn't be perfect, there had to be a fatal flaw. And she had found his. She threw her pillow across the room in anger.

 _It's going to be so much fun to break you._ Ha. What Endymion didn't know was that she had already been broken. A few years ago when she had gotten out, she had promised herself never again. She would never again be in that sort of situation. But here she was on the brink of getting into something way over her head. _No_ , she thought to herself. She wasn't going to get into that position again. She wasn't going to be so easily broken. She would fight back this time. She wouldn't runaway from this. Not like last time.

She fell back into bed, feeling somewhat better than she had, but still there was something lingering in her stomach. It almost felt like dread.

* * *

Raye was trying to fall asleep. It wasn't easy considering that she was on a plane somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, but she _was_ in first class and she had been up since the day before studying for that bloody exam. She sighed and put her seat back up. There was no way she was going to be able to sleep now. Her brain was running on high alert. That exam had nearly been the death of her. Even though she had studied for hours, she still left four of the eight essay questions blank. She was totally going to bomb that exam, but she didn't care. The professor was an asshole, who had been giving her shit all semester because she wouldn't sleep with him. She should have complained to the dean, and she would, when she got back, but until then her GPA was going to suffer. But she didn't care.

Serenity needed her. Her best friend was in trouble, and she needed to be there just in case... Raye sighed and her mind kept playing. Serenity and her had met at freshmen orientation when they had moved into the same dorm room. Raye had instantly taken to the girl, and they had been friends ever since. They had gone to parties together, studied together, and had even gone on a few double dates. But one day halfway through the first semester, Serenity brought home a guy who gave Raye the creeps. She had told her of her concerns, but she had just blown her off. Then as the weeks passed, Serenity began to change. She slept in late, she skipped classes, and most nights she didn't even come home. Almost a month later, right before Christmas vacation, Serenity disappeared. Normally it wouldn't be a need for concern, but she disappeared during exam week. Raye knew something was wrong and kept calling her cell phone until finally someone answered.

They told her that they had found her friend passed out and she wasn't moving. It looked like someone had beaten her, she had bruises all over her face, and her leg was broken. The person called an ambulance and Raye rushed off to meet her friend at the hospital. When she finally woke up the following day, Serenity didn't tell her anything about what had been happening. The only thing she would tell her was that things with that guy were over. Raye had taken her back to the dorm and was reluctant to leave for the Bahamas for Christmas with her friend like this. Serenity told her to go, and against her better judgment she went.

When she came back things had gotten worse. Serenity was now up at all hours of the night. She didn't sleep and it started to show. Her grades were fine, so the professors weren't concerned, but they didn't live with her, like Raye did. One night Serenity finally hit rock bottom and she had to pick her off the floor. She finally told her what had been going on, and Raye hadn't left her side since. Not until Serenity had gotten the call that she had to come and take over for her asshole of a father.

Now, with this Diamond guy getting overly obsessive she had to move in with a guy she barely knew for her protection, a guy who had a nasty reputation in the business world. Raye was nervous for her friend. It didn't help that her friend was now having dreams with _him_ again. It couldn't be a coincidence. She sighed and wished that this plane would go faster. She needed to get there fast, especially because unlike her friend she knew who this guy was.

 _Hold on, Serenity,_ she thought. _I'll be there soon._

* * *

Serenity went down to breakfast the next morning for the first time since her first morning here. The guys – minus Endymion much to her shock – all looked up at her entrance to the dinning room. They all wore shocked expressions, and she held back a laugh. The tension that was in her body disappeared when she noticed that Endymion wasn't at the table and she went to sit down wondering why he wasn't there.

"Good morning," she said as Amy filled her coffee cup. "Where's Endymion?"

"He'll be down shortly," Nephrite replied. "It's good to see you, Serenity."

"It's good to see you too, Nephrite."

"Aw, what about me?" Jadeite asked giving her a puppy dog expression that made her laugh. The other guys – even the usually stoic Kunzite – smiled at the sound of her laugh.

"Yes, even you, Jadeite," she replied with a smile. "I'm sorry, I haven't been down in a few days, it's just that I have a lot of work to do now that I'm under house arrest for the foreseeable future."

"We understand," Zoicite said. "But it's not healthy for you to go so long without eating. Not even when you're working."

"So I've been told," Serenity replied catching a familiar pair of blue eyes as he walked into the dining room and stopped at the door. Endymion looked surprised to see her at the table, and she tried not to laugh at the expression on his face as she ate her eggs. He hadn't expected her to show her face after what had happened the night before. Well, she wasn't going to let him scare her off. He told her that she needed to eat, so she was going to eat.

"Endymion," Jadeite said as their friend entered the room and took his seat at the head of the table. "Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence this morning."

"So, I see. Good morning, Serenity."

"Good morning, Endymion," she replied her voice strong even though on the inside she was screaming. She forgot about how even the sound of his voice could do something to her. _It's going to be so much fun to break you_. She winced inwardly. _No_ , she couldn't go there again.

* * *

Endymion had been shocked when he had walked into the dining room and saw Serenity sitting at the table. He didn't know what shocked him more the fact that she was there or the fact that when her eyes met his she didn't have a hint of terror in her eyes. In fact, she was laughing at something one of his friends had said. She had a beautiful laugh, and he wished that he could hear her laugh more. He sat down feeling a little bit happier than he had the night before. So his actions hadn't scared her away, maybe he had a chance after all.

Her phone buzzed on the table and she gave everyone – even him – an apologetic look as she excused herself from the table. He watched her leave and then exchanged looks with the guys at the table.

"She didn't leave," Zoicite said.

"Apparently," Endymion replied with a small smile on his face.

"What exactly happened last night, anyway?" Jadeite asked. "You left here so pissed off, and now she's back at the table…"

"He fucked her against a wall, fully clothed," Zoicite replied for him.

"You didn't," Kunzite said looking at him.

"I did."

"Shit, Endymion, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. The beast took over and…" he trailed off and looked to where Serenity had left the room. She was pacing and she looked _pissed_. Something was going on there. "It doesn't matter. She's still here. Obviously, it's going to take more than that to scare her away."

Nephrite went to say something, but then thought better of it, and instead Jadeite's phone buzzed. He looked intrigued and checked the screen to see who was calling. His face paled considerably before he answered the phone.

"Hello?" Something was said on the other line and his face paled some more before he nodded and said. "I'll be there soon." He hung up the phone and pushed back his chair.

"Who was that?" Endymion asked.

"Nothing. I just have to go pick someone up," he replied looking distracted and left the room before Endymion and the others could say anything else to him. As he left, Serenity walked back in the same pissed off look on her face. She took her seat and threw her phone onto the table with a loud _crash_.

"Stupid, useless…" she muttered.

"Is everything all right, Serenity?" Kunzite asked.

"No," she replied. "Sometimes people can be really stupid."

"What's going on?" Endymion asked.

"I have these two huge binders that are critical to this project that I'm working on," she replied. "The company finally sent them over…to my office even though they knew I wasn't going to be in."

"I see," Endymion commented and looked at Kunzite who nodded his head.

"I can go pick them up for you, if you'd like?"

"Would you?" Serenity turned to him a light in her eyes.

"Sure. Just tell me who I have to see to pick them up."

"Thank you!" She exclaimed blasting him with her full smile, which caused Kunzite to blink and smile back in return. "Just go to my office, and my assistant Mina will have them waiting for you. I'll call her right now, and tell her to expect you." She got up from her seat and kissed Kunzite on the cheek before she walked out of the room to make a phone call. Endymion pushed back his chair to follow her. She was in a good mood now. It would be a perfect opportunity to apologize for his behavior last night.

"Hey Mina," she was saying into her phone when he approached her. "Yeah, so I have a solution to our problem. My friend Kunzite is going to come by the office and pick up the binders for me." She listened intently to her assistant's response, but her eyes met his and she raised an eyebrow when she saw him there. She muttered a few more things into the phone before she hung up.

"Look, Serenity," he began but she waved him off.

"I don't want to hear it," she replied and went towards the stairs.

"At least…"

"No," she was up the stairs and into her room before he could say another word. He watched her go with an amazed expression on his face. He was trying to apologize and she didn't want to hear it? How weird was that? Most women would have had him beg. _But Serenity isn't most women_ , he thought to himself with a smile. The beast was growling again in need, but he went away before he did something as stupid as he did last night.

* * *

Kunzite left for Serenity's office right after breakfast. Endymion knew that out of all of his friends, the curse had affected him the most. He had been a stoic and quite man before the curse, and after the curse had taken its toll he had been ruthless. He had been the one that Endymion looked to when he was looking for CEOs to 'mysteriously disappear.' Because of this, Endymion made sure that he got out of the house the most. This errand for Serenity was no exception, although he was happy to do it for her. He agreed with his friend that she was going to be the one to break the curse. If what his friend had told him about what had happened last night and she was still here than she would be the one. Which was sort of disappointing because she was quite attractive.

But Endymion had seen her first and there were other fish in the sea. He kept musing during the rest of the drive into the city. He walked into the building that belonged to Serenity's company and asked the secretary on the main floor for directions to Serenity's office.

"She isn't in," the secretary informed him.

"I know, I'm here to pick something up for her," he replied.

"Oh. Well, take the elevator to the thirtieth floor and you'll see it when you get off."

"Thank you." He went onto the elevator and pressed the button for the thirtieth floor. He was amazed at how fast the elevators moved in this building, a lot of others had slow moving elevators, and didn't have to wait long to reach his destination. He stepped off and saw the office at the end of the hall, in front of the office was a desk where a blonde was sitting.

He approached and slowed when he finally got a good look at the blonde. She looked almost like Serenity, but there were a few differences. Her hair was slightly longer and was pushed back with a red ribbon, while her blue eyes were slightly darker. There were other differences there, but he couldn't name them all. Her attention had turned towards him as he finally approached her desk. She opened her mouth to greet him, when a gasp came out of her mouth instead. Apparently he wasn't the only one who was taking stock of the person before them.

"Kunzite?" She finally asked.

"Yes," he replied. "You must be Mina, it's a pleasure to meet you." He put out his hand and she hesitatingly put hers in his. Instead of shaking it, like he had originally planned, he found himself leaning over it and placing his lips chastely on the knuckles. His lips tingled from where they touched her skin.

"Nice to meet you too," she said with a light blush on her cheeks. "So, here are the binders that Serenity needs. How is she doing anyway?" She handed over two three-inch binders that were filled to the brim with paper. He took them with ease and sent her a smile.

"She's doing all right," he said. "But I'm sure she's the kind who's going to go stir crazy soon."

Mina laughed, "You have no idea."

Kunzite stared at her feeling the same way he had when Serenity had laughed today. He felt a smile on his face and wanted to make her laugh more. "You have an amazing laugh."

She stopped laughing, "Th-thank you," she stuttered. "So, uh…"

"Right," he said and turned to leave. "Good-bye."

"'Bye."

He started walking away before he stopped and turned back to her. "Hey, I know this is going to sound insane, but…"

"Oh, thank God," she said with a smile.

"Thank God, what?" He asked amused.

"If you had taken another five steps, I was going to go after you and ask _you_ out," she replied with another laugh.

"Really? So it's not crazy…"

"Of course not," she said and scribbled something onto one of the business cards. "Here's my number. Call me when you want to do something." She smiled and as he walked away with the card in his pocket he felt something for the first time since the curse had been cast three years ago. He felt happy.

* * *

It was just after lunch had been served – Serenity took hers in her room, Endymion in his study – when Zoicite walked back into the kitchen and placed his plate on the table. Ms. Pots looked up at his entrance and he only smiled at her in response. He sat down and dug into his lunch while she continued to prepare dinner. He continued to stare at her, until she finally turned around and said in exasperation, "What?"

He smirked, "Nothing. I'm just watching you work, Ms. Pots."

"Well, stop," she replied and turned back to continue her work.

"Why?"

"Because I can't get anything done if you're watching me!" She exclaimed. "Now, tell me what's really bothering you, Zoicite." She wiped her hands on a towel and turned around to face him again.

"It's Serenity," he admitted.

Her face fell, "Oh."

"No, no, not like that," he said and stood up to reassure her that he wasn't interested in their new houseguest. "Endymion had me do a background check on her and I found something…"

"What did you find?" Ms. Pots asked curious.

"That's the thing, I'm not quite sure. There's this brief period in her records where the location is given but it doesn't say why she was there."

"You should ask her about it, then."

"Yeah, but then she'll know that I've been looking into her and she'll want to know why…" he trailed off. Ms. Pots looked up at him and shook her head before turning back to the oven.

"She's going to find out eventually, Zoicite," she said. "Might as well let her know what's coming before she has to talk to _him_ about it. She seems to be the kind of person who wants to be prepared for these sort of things."

"You're right," he sighed. "As usual. Thanks, Amy," he said and kissed her on the cheek before he left the room to go talk to Serenity about what he had found. While he was walking up the stairs he was thinking about his 'relationship' with Ms. Pots. He had known Endymion since they were five years old and had been in this house since then too. He had been here when Amy Pots – the original Ms. Pots' daughter – had been running around helping her mother. He had fallen for her at first sight and it wasn't until three years ago that he was going to do something about it. But he never got the chance because of the curse, although, Amy knew about it. She also knew about his feelings for her, he didn't know how, she just did. So, they were still tentatively dancing around each other. She was waiting for the curse to be lifted and he… Well, he was fighting the curse.

 _Darker side, indeed,_ he thought before he knocked on Serenity's door.

* * *

Serenity knew that she was being ridiculous. She had been waiting for Endymion to barge into her room since she had left him speechless downstairs. She figured – from what she knew of him in the last seventy-two hours – that he wouldn't be too happy that she didn't let him talk to her about what had happened last night. She had known when he had followed her into the foyer that he was probably going to talk to her about what had happened last night, and she really didn't want to hear it. The reason that she didn't want to hear it was because she still was trying to figure out how exactly she felt about it, and until then she didn't want to know what he had to say.

 _Maybe he was trying to apologize,_ a part of her thought, but she brushed that aside. Endymion apologize? Ha. She doubted that he had it in him to apologize. Oh, sure there was that moment on her first night here that he apologized, but it wasn't for his behavior it was for her father's. She shook her head and tried to get her mind back to her work. It had been difficult there for a while, until Kunzite came by and handed her the binders that he had picked up from her office. After that it was easy breezy, but not so easy that she was going to be down for dinner. She groaned, knowing that if she didn't come down for dinner than Endymion would _definitely_ be barging into her room.

When Ms. Pots came up with her lunch, she informed Serenity that Endymion was also working in his study and wasn't going to be able to make it down for dinner. It was a relief, and Serenity thanked her before going back to work and nibbling on the sandwich that Ms. Pots had brought up for her. She was in midsentence when someone knocked on her door. She swallowed and thought _at least he's using the door this time_ before opening the door.

But instead of the dark haired male being at her threshold it was Zoicite. She stepped back in surprise. He watched all of this with slight amusement.

"Zoicite?" Serenity asked. "What's going on?"

"I need to talk to you," he replied. "Can I come in?"

She stepped aside and he walked into the room as she shut the door. She turned to face him with a questioning look on her face. She hadn't had many interactions with Zoicite, but from what she observed of him he was a quiet man. "What did you need to talk to me about?"

"I don't even know where to begin."

"From the beginning would be good," Serenity said with a smile to ease his worry. He looked nervous.

"Well, Endymion had me conduct a background check on you."

"I see."

"And, I found something that I'm not quite sure how to explain."

Serenity finally took a seat at her desk chair knowing exactly what Zoicite was talking about. She had wondered how long she was going to have until someone in this household had found out about her past, but she silently admitted that she was glad that it was Zoicite who was coming to her with this. She could only imagine what Endymion's reaction would be…

"Let me guess," she said. "There is a hospital stay and a rehab facility stay that you have questions about."

"How did you know?"

"It's _my_ background you're looking at, Zoicite," she laughed in response. "But what I'm about to tell you can't get back to Endymion."

"I'm not sure I can do that."

"Do you have to tell him the truth?" Serenity asked.

He paused from answering, knowing that depending on what she told him that he could probably come up with some sort of plausible truth. "Touche, Ms. Tskunio. I'll figure it out, but I need to hear your story first."

She smirked, "Well…"

* * *

Endymion had been locked away in his study since breakfast. He was trying to get some work done, but all he could think about was a certain blonde who lived upstairs. She wasn't like any woman that he had ever known. Most would want to know what had happened last night meant, but Serenity… She didn't want to hear it. She didn't even look mad about it either, which was odd. He had fucked her against a wall. Or had he? No, he had…he remembered the feeling of being inside her. How tight she was. He groaned and put his pen down. There was no way that he could concentrate on work right now. Not with Serenity's naked form floating through his brain.

He was just about to get up and pour himself a drink when a knock on his door interrupted him. "Enter," he said automatically. The door opened and Zoicite walked in holding a folder barely an inch thick. He placed it on his desk and took a seat.

"The background check on Serenity," he explained and Endymion started flipping through it. There were her transcripts from high school and college, she was quite bright, not that he was surprised. Her bank statements, and her medical records were more shocking. He could see from her bank statements why Serenity would have been angry if her father had frozen her accounts. But her medical records were odd. She had had her tonsils out when she was fifteen, wisdom teeth at nineteen. But it was when she was eighteen that he was most interested in. There was a hospital stay listed, but it gave no reason.

"What was she in the hospital for when she was eighteen?" He asked.

"Broken leg," Zoicite replied. "She fell down the stairs of her dorm while doing laundry."

"I see," he continued to peruse the file in front of him. There was a list of her friends – her roommate Lita and her college roommate… Well, that was interesting. He smiled at the name on the sheet but continued on. She had two previous romantic relationships a guy named Seiya when she was in high school and a man named Alan Sterling when she was a freshman in college. But after that there was nothing. So she hadn't been seeing anyone. She was free, which made him smile. "All right, thanks, Zoicite."

"No problem," his friend said and got up to leave. Endymion watched him leave and couldn't help but continue to smile.

* * *

Diamond was pacing in his office. His tail had returned, but not with good news. He had searched everywhere, but Serenity couldn't be found. She had disappeared. Diamond was angry because he had paid this guy for nothing. Serenity wasn't found. She was still missing, and that was no acceptable to him. He needed her in this room with him _now_. He couldn't stand being apart from her for one more day. But where had she gone that not even a trained tail could find her?

His phone rang and he answered it with a flourish. "What?" He barked.

"I have news of Serenity," another one of his contacts answered. "A man named Kunzite came by to pick something up from Mina for her."

"Kunzite?" Diamond muttered. "I'll look into it." He hung up without so much as a thank you to his contact. He turned to the tail and gave him the name. The tail said he would look into it and get back to him. Diamond went to sit down knowing that the next time the tail came back in without any news of where his Serenity had gone, he would have to be taken care of. There was only so much incompetence that he could put up with. He touched his computer screen with longing. _Mine_ , he couldn't help but think.

* * *

It was after ten in the evening by the time that Serenity finally pushed back from her desk with victory. The project that she had been working on all week was finally done. She felt like dancing, but her stomach growled informing her that she hadn't had anything to eat since dinner five hours ago. She decided to go downstairs to the kitchen to grab a quick snack. She padded down the stairs and looked at Endymion's study. The door was closed, and there was a light underneath the door. Was he seriously still working? If he was he had quite the nerve to yell at _her_ about working until all hours without eating and sleeping. She shook her head and continued into the kitchen.

She came to a halt when she realized that the light under Endymion's study door was wrong. Endymion wasn't in his study. He was in the kitchen too. He looked up at her entrance and they froze as their eyes connected again. There was something about his eyes that always made Serenity feel like he was seeing deep into her soul.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," she replied and finally moved deeper into the kitchen.

"Finally taking a break?" He asked.

"Finished actually." She turned to the refrigerator and started taking out fixings for a sandwich. She was pretty sure that she couldn't make one as good as the one Ms. Pots had given her for lunch, but she could at least try. Endymion watched all of this amusement as he leaned on the counter and bit into the apple he had come in to get.

"Congratulations," he said as she set to work. "So about…"

"If the next words out of your mouth are 'last night' I won't be responsible for what I do with this knife," she interrupted him and held up the steak knife she had taken out of the holder in front of her. He swallowed hard, trying not to laugh at the expression on her face or the way she looked holding the knife. Like she could actually hurt him with that? Please.

"I won't say it," he acquiesces. "But we need to talk about it."

"What exactly do we have to talk about? Unless you want to talk about what you meant by what you said afterwards?" She didn't look at him as she said this, she was concentrating on making the perfect sandwich, or so she told herself. She could feel his eyes bearing into her, and she knew that if she looked up and caught his gaze things would happen on this counter _other_ than sandwich making.

"You're right," he said after a while. "We don't have to talk about this."

A dark laugh came out of her mouth, "Typical." This time she did look up and met his stunned gaze. "When someone starts asking the hard questions, you don't say anything."

"I thought this is what you wanted? Not to talk about what happened last night?" He countered with a smug look on his face.

"I don't except what you meant by what you said before you left and why you had the audacity to fuck me against the wall without taking off your clothes."

"Why? Because you wanted to touch me too?"

"No, because it made me feel cheap, you asshole." Endymion was amazed at how collected she was in talking about this. Instead of falling apart or stammering when he had asked if she wanted to touch him too, she called him an asshole. The beast was chomping inside of him. He had finally found an acceptable sparring partner, and if what had happened the night before was any indication, an amazing bed partner too. She really was perfect.

"Well, I didn't hear you complaining last night," he responded and threw his apple core into the garbage. "In fact, you were more than willing to be fucked against the wall, even though we barely know each other." He turned his back on her as he started to walk out of the room.

It was the wrong move to make. She wasn't joking about what she could do with a knife when she was angry. And boy was she angry. How dare he? How dare he make her feel like such a slut, when it was _him_ who had come barging into her room and instigated everything? Before she knew what she was doing, the knife that was in her hand was flying through the air towards Endymion. It flipped end over end in the air before the blade finally sunk a few inches into his left shoulder. He stopped in the doorway and Serenity put a hand to her mouth as he turned to face her. He looked at her, a strange emotion on his face, as his hand reached up and yanked the knife out of his skin. He looked at the knife slightly covered in his blood and back at her before stalking towards her.

In the past, Serenity would have cowered, but now she stood her ground. He knew what he was dealing with now. She had warned him that she wouldn't be held responsible for what she did with the knife, and well…there you go. He placed the knife on the counter and then backed her up against it trapping her. Serenity bit her lip having a strange sense of déjà vu. Wasn't this how it had started last night?

"You stabbed me," he said but instead of sounding angry he sounded impressed. "You're amazing." His lips crashed down on hers and the same sparks that ignited last night were reignited. Her lips were addictive and he moaned as they became pliant beneath his. He swept aside the sandwich that she had been making before his arms encircled her waist and he lifted her onto the counter. Her legs were around his waist bringing him closer to her heated core. He groaned into her mouth, knowing that if she wasn't careful that he would have her on this countertop with his clothes on again.

Serenity realized that too and her fingers began unbuttoning his shirt. He shrugged out of it and hissed when her fingers touched his bare skin. The beast was in shock and purred with satisfaction. This minx in front of him was just full of surprises. Well, he could play that way too, as he ripped open her flannel shirt. The buttons popped and bounced around the kitchen as he took her in. She wasn't wearing a tank top underneath the shirt like others did. She was just in a black lace bra. His jeans felt constrictive and it didn't help that her fingers were on the snap. _This must be payback for last night_ , he thought and helped her get him out of his pants.

Her fingers touched him and he let out a growl. "Don't," he said gruffly. If she continued to touch him like that then he would lose it before he even touched her. But she didn't listen and continued to touch him, picking up speed. He lost his breath as he came in her hand. He took a step back from her staring at her in a new light. But before he could move back to her she jumped down from the counter and walked away. He watched her leave in amazement. She had made him come by just using her hand and she walked away before he could be inside her.

"Touché, Serenity," he said to no one as he slipped back into his jeans.

* * *

Serenity practically ran up the stairs after she left Endymion's eyesight. It had taken much of her willpower to not stick around after she made him come into her hand. It had been payback for last night. This time she was the one fully clothed, well, she thought as she looked down at her ripped open shirt, _mostly_ clothed. But she had been close to letting him take her on that counter. She had been right about assuming that he was well built underneath those tight fitting shirts, but damn. She walked back into her room and froze for the second time that day on the threshold.

"You know, the last time we talked it sounded like you were in trouble. From the looks of things, you seem to be doing just fine," Raye said from her bed.

"Raye!" She exclaimed and ran into the room to give her other best friend a hug. The raven-haired woman jumped up and hugged her back. "When did you get here? How did you get here?"

"Whoa, whoa," she laughed. "Slow down and put on a new shirt. It's weird seeing you with the girls hanging out." Serenity laughed and went to her closet to grab the first shirt she touched. In a fluid movement she had her flannel shirt off and a t-shirt over her head. "Right. So. I got here like twenty minutes ago. Only you weren't here. Where were you?"

"In the kitchen throwing knifes and making Endymion come into my hand."

"Wait. Wait. What?" Raye asked her eyes widening in shock. "What do you mean you made Endymion come in your hand?"

"Uh. Right. I might want to start from the beginning."

"Please."

Serenity told her friend about everything that she had missed since they had talked on Tuesday morning. Raye had the decency to look shocked, appalled and pleased in the right places. At the end of her tale, they lapsed into silence. The events of the day and the past few days of roughly no sleep were catching up to her, and she was fighting to stay awake.

"Sere, I think you should go to sleep," Raye said. "You look exhausted."

"Thanks," Serenity replied, but agreed with her friend. She pushed back the covers and snuggled deep into them. Within minutes she was out. Raye smiled at the way her friend looked before leaving the room. It was time Endymion and her had a chat.

She found her way down the stairs and to the study door. She knocked and walked in without hearing a response.

"I didn't say you could come in, Serenity," he said without looking up at Raye's entrance. "But I'm glad you're here." He finally did look up and paled.

"Raye?" He whispered in shock.

She smirked. "Hello, brother."


	5. Chapter 4: Cabin Fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go. I don't own Sailor Moon. I don't own the song "Freak Out" by Avril Lavigne. This story is rated M for a reason, mostly because of language and some interesting smut in this one. You have been warned.

_Try to tell me what I shouldn't do_  
_You should know by now I won't listen to you_  
_Walk around with my hands up in the air_  
_Like I don't care, 'cause I don't care_  
_'Cause I'm all right, I'm fine_  
_Just freak out let it go_

_~Freak Out ~Avril Lavigne_

* * *

Endymion sat frozen as he stared at his sister for the first time in years. He hadn't seen her since their father's funeral, when she had found out that she hadn't been named in the will. Everything had gone to Endymion, except for a small amount that was used to pay for Raye's tuition at boarding school and then the university of her choice. She hadn't been home, always finding a reason to stay away during the holidays, which he was thankful for. If she had been home, she would have had been cursed too. But the way that she was looking at him now told him everything that he needed to know. She might have never come home before, but she was there now and he was in for a load of hurt. He should have known when he had seen the name on Serenity's background check, that she would be making an appearance. He sighed and watched as she took a seat in front of him.

"Hello, Raye," he said. "You look good."

"Don't give me that shit, Endymion," she scoffed. "What the hell do you think you're doing to my friend?"

He sighed again, "I don't think that's any of your business."

"Like hell it's not!" She exclaimed. "She's my friend and I've been the one there for her when she needed to be picked off the floor. I swear to God, that if you hurt her I will personally kill you even though you're my brother!"

"You're taking this a little bit far, don't you think? I haven't hurt her."

"You haven't hurt her _yet_. But Jesus Christ, Endymion you _fucked_ her _against a wall_! _Fully clothed_! I may not have been home in the last five years, Endymion but I've heard about what you've been up to. The missing CEO's, the girls who've run screaming from this house, one even checked herself into a mental institution. What's happened to you? The brother I knew at dad's funeral wouldn't have done this."

"It's a long story."

"Then tell me. I'm your sister for crying out loud. I deserve to know what's going on with you. Maybe I can help."

"The only one who can help me is Serenity. Besides you wouldn't believe me if I told you. You'd commit me to a mental institution." He sighed and played with the pen in his hands, trying to ignore his sister's stare. She wanted to know what was going on, and he knew that he should tell her especially because of her feelings for Jadeite, but… He doubted if she would believe him. She may have once upon a time believed in the extraordinary, but from the looks of things that girl didn't exist anymore.

"You're not making any sense," she replied slumping back into her seat. "What do you mean Serenity is the only one who can help you? Help you with what? Unless…this isn't about her father's company, is it?" He didn't answer her and her eyes widened. "It is. You're using her to get to her father's company. Holy shit, Endymion. I thought you were better than that."

"Look, Raye, it's not like that. Or at least it wasn't supposed to be like that," he sighed in frustration as he ran his fingers through his hair. He knew that she was confused and he was starting to see that maybe he had no choice. He had to tell her about the curse, and hope for the best that she wouldn't take Serenity away with her after he told her everything.

"Endymion, tell me what's going on."

"Okay. It started two years after dad's funeral…"

* * *

Serenity woke up the next morning feeling well rested for the first time since she had shown up at Endymion's mansion that week. She hadn't dreamed about _him_ , but she did dream. Only it wasn't about being brought to the brink, instead she could only remember flashes. There were dresses and masks? And Endymion had been there, hadn't he? She frowned, but shook it off. At least it wasn't about _him_ , maybe by taking control in the kitchen last night she had shaken off those demons. Or it could have been Raye's arrival. It was always nice to have someone to lean on when things got rough.

It didn't hit her until she was in the shower that something was wrong with all of this. Like how had Raye known where Serenity was? She hadn't given her an address; she'd only said that she was at Endymion Chiba's estate that probably wasn't on the Internet to find. And where had Raye stayed the night? She wasn't in Serenity's room… she paused under the showerhead as the thought came over her. What was Raye hiding from her? She rushed through the rest of her shower and had just gotten dressed in a rush when there was a knock on her door. She flew out of the bathroom, her wet hair hanging down her back and ripped the door open.

""Morning, Sere," Raye greeted with a smile on her face that froze when she saw the look on her friend's face. "Uh…is everything okay?"

"You tell me," Serenity replied her eyes narrowing. "You're lying to me about something, Raye. How did you know where I was? And where did you spend the night?"

"I was wondering when you were going to get around to asking me that," she admitted with an awkward grin. "But I figured because of what had happened in the kitchen last night you weren't really thinking straight. So, uh, right, I knew where you were because, well, I, uh, lived here."

"What?"

"I used to live here before I went away to boarding school and then college," Raye said with a sheepish grin as the blonde continued to stare at her, not fully comprehending what she was telling her.

"You used to live here? But that's not possible, not unless you're…" she trailed off.

"Unless I'm Endymion's sister."

Serenity fell back against the door in shock. "You're Endymion's sister? But…wait. No. That doesn't make any sense. You're Raye Hino. He's Endymion Chiba."

"Well, after our father basically wrote me out of the will, I took our mother's maiden name. Which really worked out for me in the long run, since with the different name no one knew that I was related to the youngest millionaire we've seen in a while."

"Wow. Okay, this is going to take some getting used to. So when you told me all that stuff about Endymion a few days ago that was from prior knowledge because you're his sister?"

"No," Raye answered truthfully. "What I told you a few days ago is what I've found out about Endymion since I've been away. I haven't been home since our father's funeral and he was different back then, Serenity. He wasn't the guy he is now."

"So what happened to him?" Serenity asked as she went inside to brush out her wet hair and throw it back into a bun.

Raye followed her inside and shrugged, "I wish I knew."

"I'm guessing then, that breakfast is going to be interesting," the blonde grinned at her friend in the mirror. "I can't wait to see his face when he sees you." She put the final touches on her hair and dragged her friend from the room and down the stairs. They paused at the entranceway to the dining room. The table had another place setting already. Serenity sent her friend a look as the five males looked up at their entrance.

"Sorry," Raye whispered. "I had a little chat with Endymion after you fell asleep last night."

"Aw, you're taking away my fun," she pouted for a second before walking into the room to take her spot at the table. She felt Endymion's eyes on her as she took her seat with Raye beside her, but she ignored him again.

"Good morning, Raye," Endymion greeted.

"'Morning, bro," she replied with a smile and then nodded at the other guys, although as Serenity watched Jadeite didn't acknowledge the raven-haired girl. She raised an eyebrow and wondered if there was something going on there. "I see things haven't changed. Still do the whole silent breakfast thing, eh?"

"Not really," Zoicite said with a smile. "We're just waiting for the coffee to kick in. We have long hours."

"I bet," Raye laughed. "Considering Sere's hours, I can only imagine what yours are like."

"Hey! I don't work that long!" Serenity exclaimed and sent her friend a withering look.

"Says the girl who worked for three days straight without eating anything," Endymion drawled as he took a sip from his coffee cup. This time she sent him the withering look, "Yeah, well, desperate times. It's not my fault that I was put on house arrest." She had to fight back the urge to stick her tongue out at him. God, he was so infuriating.

"Still on that, huh?" He replied with a grin.

She faltered a bit, not used to seeing him like that. "Yes, I'm still on that. You have no idea how much of an inconvenience this is for me."

A thousand responses came to him in that moment, but none that were appropriate for the table or the company that they were in. He remembered to file them away for later, because there _was_ going to be a later, and only rolled his eyes in response to the blonde. She rolled hers back and turned to his sister.

"So how was your final exam?" Serenity asked and Raye launched into her long-winded speech about the professor who absolutely hated her because she wouldn't sleep with him. Serenity paid attention smiling at the right places as she tried to ignore the weight of Endymion's stare. What was with him and the staring thing? She couldn't help but wonder. Didn't he understand that staring at someone for long periods of time was considered rude in a lot of social circles? Or was he staring at her because he was trying to figure out what had changed in her over the last few nights? How did she go from coming against the bedroom wall to making him come into her hands after a few pulls? She tried to bite back the smile that was threatening to erupt on her face, but still it was a good question to ask. One that she really didn't know the answer to herself.

* * *

Serenity actually made it through breakfast without having to excuse herself because of a phone call from Mina. Raye told her that she'd be by later, after she unpacked some of her stuff, and they went in separate directions. Endymion watched all of this from the bottom of the stairs knowing that if he wanted to talk to Serenity, which he desperately wanted to do among other things, the time would be now. Hopefully what she had said was true and that she was done with the major project she was working on, so maybe he would be lucky and she would be taking a break from work for a little bit. He sighed and went up the stairs to find out.

He knocked softly on her door remembering how he had busted in last time and she had been pissed about that. "Come in!" She exclaimed sounding like she was in the bathroom. He opened the door and stepped inside before shutting it behind him and leaning on the back of it. She wasn't in the room, which made things interesting. He looked around noticing that except for the desk, which was covered with paperwork, binders, and her laptop, and a few shirts on the floor the room barely looked like she lived there. For some reason, he thought she would be a little messier.

"Hey, Raye, that was - " she said coming out of the bathroom and stopped when she saw it was him. An eyebrow lifted in question. "Not Raye. Endymion, what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

"Again?" She sighed. "Okay, what do we have to talk about this time?"

"Seriously?" He asked with an amused look on his face. "After what happened in the kitchen last night, you're seriously asking me what we have to talk about?"

She shrugged. "It happened. What's there to talk about?"

He let out a chuckle as he ran his hand through his hair. "I'm going to sound like such a girl here, but what the hell does it mean? What do the last two days mean?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

"Great," he said and thumped his head on the back of the door. "You're an amazing woman, you do realize that, don't you, Serenity? Most women would be banging down my door trying to get me to define what happened over the last few nights. But you…you're just unfazed."

"Unfazed? Is that what you think I am?" She asked with a snort. "Please. Do you realize how pissed off I was at you yesterday because of what you did? I mean I threw a damn knife into your skin, I was so mad at you. I'm _still_ mad at you for that by the way."

"And I'm going to ask again, why? If you didn't want anything to happen, you could have told me to stop."

"And would you have? I knew a guy like you before, Endymion…" she trailed off and shook her head almost as if she was trying to not remember something. He watched intrigued wondering what she meant by a guy like him before? "Whatever. It happened, and I don't know what it means. Okay?"

"No, not okay," he said as he straightened up and moved into the room. "The problem is, Serenity, I've had a taste of you and seen what you could do to me, and I want more."

Her eyes widened in shock. "More?" She whispered her eyes locked on his as he moved even closer to her. His steps were predatory. The look in his eyes reminded her of how they looked the night he fucked her against the wall fully clothed. They promised something wicked would happen if she let it, and as she felt warmth spread through her lower abdomen, she realized that she wanted it to. Her past be damned. Whatever wicked thing Endymion wanted to do to her she would let him and enjoy every minute of it. She unconsciously licked her lips, which caused his eyes to darken. Blue to black in an instant, she almost moaned at the sight. _What was happening to her?_ The rational part of her brain thought as he continued his approach.

"More," he said his voice husky. "The things I want to do to you…" he trailed off and Serenity almost let out a moan at the thought of what he could do. He was barely inches away from her and she wanted to bring him closer, but if she did she knew that she would begin something unknown and dangerous. _Too late for that,_ she thought as she remembered that that something had already been started when she allowed him to take her against that wall a few nights ago.

"Like what?" She breathed and his eyes locked on hers. A feral grin spread across his face as he forced her back against the bed. The back of her knees touched the mattress and he went in for the kill. His lips were on hers before she could let out a squeak of surprise. His tongue was in her mouth exploring before she could get used to the way his mouth was attacking hers. The momentum of his body was too much and she fell onto the bed feeling something poking her as he pressed his body into hers.

The beast within him was screaming in pleasure as he pressed his body into Serenity's. She wanted what he wanted to do to her. His mind was brimming with possibilities and he knew that he needed to take it slow. If he went to maximum beast mode, she could still run. With steady hands he pushed aside the straps of her tank top, exposing more of her creamy skin to his gaze. His lips left hers and started to pay homage to the skin and the tops of her breasts that were heaving. His hands skimmed underneath her top and clutched at her bare skin. She squirmed beneath him as his hands went up and touched her bare breast. _No bra?_ He thought in amazement and then pushed the tank top upwards so he could see. Her naked flesh was exposed to his gaze and he drank in the sight of her breasts.

 _Mine_ , the beast growled before he lowered his head and began to suck on her nipples. The sharp breath that she took in only spurred him on as his hand reached up and tweaked the other nipple until it pebbled. He was barely aware of her tugging the tank top over her head and throwing it onto the floor, his mind too preoccupied by the task in front of him.

Serenity was losing her mind and he hadn't even gotten into her pants yet. His lips were everywhere and she mewled with pleasure as he continued to suck. But that wasn't what she wanted, and she knew that he knew that. His one hand drifted south from her breast and she almost sighed in relief. _Finally_ , she thought as he traced a line down to her stomach and stopped at the snap of her jeans. He undid the button and unzipped her pants with such ease she couldn't help but be amazed by how talented he was. He reached into her jeans, but stopped short when he felt that she was wearing underwear – she had actually remembered that day – and his lips left her breast as he looked down. With both hands this time he dragged her jeans down her legs, stopping every so often to kiss various parts of her. When her feet were finally dragged out of the jeans, he threw them onto the ground and lifted his shirt over his head.

She couldn't help but stare at his sculpted chest and as he leaned back down to cover her body with his she touched him, causing him to shudder underneath her fingertips. He didn't let it stop him though as his hand cupped her and his fingers touched her even though she was still wearing her panties. It caused friction and the same warmth from before enveloped her again. He pushed aside the cotton and his fingers delved deep inside her, her fingers gripping his shoulders tight as the sensation rocked her. He stroked her until she couldn't take anymore and let herself go. His fingers exited and he dragged her underwear down until she was able to kick it away.

Just as she was regaining her breath Endymion dipped his head down and kissed her stomach going lower until he was right _there_. She felt him grin as he lowered himself onto the floor and pulled her hips, legs outstretched to the edge of the mattress. She balanced herself onto her elbows to see what exactly he was up to when she saw him on his knees, his head between her legs. _Oh my_ , she thought as his tongue delved into her core. He lapped at her like he was a cat and she was a dish of cream. His tongue reached places that she hadn't known existed and she felt herself coming undone again. His tongue touched her clit and she lost it. She came hard and yet he didn't move.

When she finally regained some of her sense she looked down and saw him still between her legs. _Holy fuck_ , she thought in exasperation. He hadn't just swallowed her come, had he? He moved his head and looked up at her a grin on his face as he licked his lips and her eyes widened in shock.

"You almost taste as good as you smell," he said with a smirk as he stood up and undid the snap of his jeans.

"I feel like there's a compliment in there somewhere," she replied with a raised brow. "But I can't seem to find it." He stepped out of his jeans, revealing a bulge in his boxers, which he quickly stripped away.

"I can always show you," he lowered himself over her again and kissed the hollow of her throat.

"You could, but I think you have something else that you want to show me," she said with a smirk. He laughed as his hips flexed into her, making a jolt pass through her at the contact. He teased her some more before reaching down and taking her legs and placing them on his shoulders. Before she could ask what he was thinking putting her in a position like that, it was a good thing that she was flexible, he slammed deep into her and she could have sworn that she felt him at the base of her throat. She gasped at how deep he had gone, as he pulled out and then went back in. She rocked her hips into his feeling the pleasure sweep over her as he growled in need. His hands gripped her legs as he thrusted in again and again.

"C'mon, Sere," he said as she matched his rhythm. She barely registered him using her nickname as he continued his ministrations. She could feel it building at the base of her spine and as he finally lost control and came she felt herself finally completely come undone. They came together and after Endymion collapsed onto her.

When she finally was able to see and thing straight she commented, "That was your idea of more?"

He looked at her, the blackness still in his eyes as he replied his voice low and husky, "That wasn't even close to what I have planned for you."

* * *

It hadn't taken nearly as long for Raye to unpack as she originally thought it would. It helped that the clothes she had left behind when she had left five years ago had not been in the drawers. She could only assume that they had been put into storage with the rest of her stuff. She shook her head as she walked down the hallway to Serenity's room. She didn't know exactly what they were going to do since she couldn't really leave the house, but they were bound to think of something. Even if that meant watching a movie in the basement.

Raye paused at Serenity's door getting ready to knock when she heard noises from the other side. _What_? She couldn't help but think as she leaned closer to the door to catch whatever was happening inside the room. There were some low mutterings before she heard Serenity moan. _Oh, dear,_ she thought. Her brother sure knew how to apologize for his actions. She walked away from the door before she heard anything else that would send her back to therapy. A sigh went through her as she thought about what she should do now. Considering what Endymion had told her the night before, she knew that she should go see Jadeite and talk about the curse, but…

She tried to hold in the sarcastic laugh that was budding within her as she realized that she was _scared_ to talk to him. Which was ridiculous to her when she thought about it. Jadeite and her had known each other since they were kids. She looked to him and the other guys that her brother was friends with as unofficial brothers. The ones who looked after her, the ones who would beat up her dates if they mistreated her in anyway. Which was why it came as a shock to her when a few months before her father's funeral she realized that the feelings she had towards the blonde haired man who could always make her chuckle and wince whenever he made a terrible joke weren't for someone that she looked to as a brother. No, these were more romantic feelings. And he felt the same, she knew that, the looks he would send her were evidence of that. He didn't think of her as a sister.

So why was she scared of him now? Just because he was supposedly cursed to succumb to his dark side until Endymion broke the curse? But Jadeite didn't even have a dark side. He was the jester of the group, he was the good one, so why was she so damn scared? With a determination she knew she had she stomped back down the stairs in search for him. She ran into Amy Pots cleaning up the dining room and stopped to see if she knew where she could find him.

"Hey, Raye," Amy greeted. "I know I didn't get a chance to tell you this during breakfast, but I'm glad you're home. Things have been crazy since you left."

"So I've been told," Raye sighed and started piling plates to take back into the kitchen. "How did things get so bad in the time that I've been gone?" She took her stack of plates and walked into the kitchen, not expecting Amy to answer her.

"I have guesses," the woman replied. "I think Endymion was in too deep with the company being transferred over to him after your father's death. When it was time for him to finally relax, he couldn't because he was too power hungry so…"

"Let's not discuss my brother's sex life," Raye replied with a wince. "He's already doing crazy things with my best friend that if I think any harder about I'm going to need therapy for. But that still doesn't explain it. So he was a little wild in bed, why would a witch curse him?"

"You would have to ask the guys about that," Amy answered as they walked into the kitchen together. "They seemed to know what was going on when the witch showed up. I thankfully had the night off, so I only heard about from Zoicite later."

"Hey, Amy!" A familiar voice exclaimed from behind the refrigerator door. "Just the person I wanted to see. Do you have any of those - " He stopped speaking as he peeked around the door and saw who was with Amy. Raye met Jadeite's gaze until he flicked his eyes away. "Uh, never mind…" he closed the door and looked like he was about to make a break for it when Amy took the dishes from Raye's hands and she stopped in front of him.

"And where do you think you're going?" She asked her voice stern. "You've barely said one word to me since I've come back and have treated me like I have some sort of disease. What is your problem?" His eyes darted to the blue-haired woman who was washing the dishes from breakfast before darting back to hers. He reached out and took her hand before dragging her from the room. He pulled her into the abandoned study before closing the door and turning to face her. His usual light green eyes were darker and his eyebrow was furrowed. "Jadeite?" She asked her previous feelings coming back.

"You want me to say some words to you?" He asked his voice deep. "Fine, I will. You need to stay away from me, Raye. I don't know why you came back, but you shouldn't have. You should have stayed away."

"Why? Because of some sort of curse that is supposed to bring out everyone's dark side until Endymion lifts it?" She countered. "In case you didn't notice, Jadeite, the person all of you are laying your hope on is my best friend! She's been through enough dark shit to last her life times. I'm afraid what this will do to her, and has anyone bothered to tell her what is going on?"

He sputtered, "Because you think _that_ would be a good idea? 'Oh Serenity, you're not really here because some psycho CEO has plans to make you his no matter what. No, you're here because Endymion thinks you can break a curse on him and everyone in the house.' That would go over really well with her, don't you think?" He began to pace back and forth ignoring her and she could only watch him.

"You'd be surprised how much that girl can take," Raye muttered. "But it's better to tell her the truth, then let her believe this lie. If you're afraid that she'll run, I think that ship has already sailed when she stayed even though my brother screwed her against a wall fully clothed, don't you?"

Jadeite stopped pacing and finally looked at her. His breathing wasn't rapid like it should have been for someone who looked like they had been angry with her. Instead it was calm. His usual eye color was back, but still she waited for him to make the move. He sighed deeply before he approached her in slow measured steps. He opened his arms and brought her body close to his, enveloping her into a hug. "I missed you, Raye," he whispered onto the crown of her head. "But you can see why I wanted you to stay away. This curse hasn't affected Nephrite, Kunzite and myself like it has with Zoicite and Endymion. Zoicite luckily can fight it, but it's a battle that he's losing."

"Zoicite?" Raye murmured into his chest.

He pulled away slightly to look at her with an amused look in his eyes. "You didn't know? Him and Amy have been flirting around each other for years. He won't make a move until the curse is broken."

"You've got to be kidding me," Raye said in amazement. "How is it I had no idea?"

"Probably because you were focused on yourself. But don't worry about it, I was the same way until you left."

"Did you know?" Raye finally found the courage to ask. "I was talking to Amy about this before we came into the kitchen. Did you know about my brother's extracurricular activities? Why the witch would curse him?"

"No, not until the witch cursed him and he told us what he'd been up to," Jadeite shook his head. "Kunzite knew. The women that Endymion had been with, Kunzite took them home after he was done with them. I shouldn't tell you this, because your best friend is his next and hopefully last one, but he had hurt them, Raye. Rope burns, bruises…he was ruthless." She backed out of his arms as he told her this, not believing that her brother could be capable of such things. But she knew that in some part of her that she knew he was.

"Well, maybe he's finally met his match," she whispered. "She _did_ throw a knife at him yesterday."

"What?" He looked shocked. "A knife?"

"Yeah," she shrugged. "He basically tried to tell her that she brought the wall screwing upon herself, and she got pissed so she threw the knife at him."

Jadeite blinked for a second before throwing his head back and let out a laugh. "She threw a knife at him!" He continued to laugh until tears rand down his cheeks. He finally sobered. "She's perfect for him. There might be a chance…" he gave her a look that she knew well. He wanted to kiss her. There was a lot that he wanted to do to her, but because of the curse he was afraid to. He didn't want to hurt her. Not after all this time.

"I'm sorry that I'm here," she whispered. "I'm sorry I'm making this harder for you. But you understand why, right? Serenity is my best friend. Endymion is my brother. If something is going to happen, I need to be here for both of them."

"I know, but you have to understand that if I'm ignoring you it's for your own good. I don't want to hurt you, Raye. Not after waiting so long for this." He grasped her hand between both of his looking at her with those emerald eyes.

"So we wait? Until the curse is broken?"

He nodded his head. "We wait."

* * *

One Month Later…

_Kunzite was curled around something soft and warm. The fingers of his left hand stroked cautiously while trying to regain feeling in his right arm. Whatever he was curled around, it was using his right arm as a pillow and the hair was so soft. He murmured nonsensical things as his eyes finally opened and he saw the familiar blonde hair. Mina, he thought with a smile as he tightened his hold on her. He flexed his hips forward and she pushed back against him._

" _Good morning," he whispered into her ear. She giggled in reply as his fingers teased upwards. Something wet met him as he touched her breast. Her giggle turned to a groan of pain. With worry eating at him, knowing that it might be what he had feared, he flipped back the comforter and stared as his world went out from him._

_There was blood everywhere. She was bleeding from various bite marks and gouge marks on her naked skin. The gouge marks looked like something had clawed her and as he looked at his hands, the fingernails grew into the claws of a beast. "No," he whispered as he backed off the bed. Mina sat up and looked at him questioning, not noticing that there was blood dripping off of her._

" _Kunzite? What's wrong?" She asked but not with her usual voice. It was hoarse. There were marks on her throat too._

" _NO!" He exclaimed and fell off the bed._

Kunzite woke up on the floor and he sat up with a groan. He was used to the pain of falling off his bed by now. It had been like this for the last two weeks. Ever since he had started dating Serenity's secretary Mina. They had gotten along so well that he was amazed by it. She was so fun and bubbly, but she could be serious too. She was smart and she was just amazing. But after dating for the last few weeks, she was expecting him to make another move, one that would deepen their relationship. But he couldn't. Every time he thought about doing it, he would remember the curse. He would remember the person that he would become when Endymion had him do his dirty work. Would he become that when he was with her? He didn't think he could. Endymion was somehow able to control it with Serenity. Couldn't he somehow control it with Mina?

The dreams had started then, and he hadn't been able to escape them. It was getting bad, so bad that he was cutting back the time that he saw Mina hoping that that would keep her safe. It wasn't like he could tell her about the curse, she would probably think that he was nuts. But he saw the way she looked at him when he kept pushing her away. If he didn't do something soon, he was going to lose her.

"C'mon, Endymion," he whispered to himself. "Break this curse."

* * *

Diamond was obsessing and more so than usual. After a month, he hadn't gotten any closer to finding Serenity. She had disappeared off the face of the planet. The lead on Kunzite hadn't really gotten him far, but he had an inkling that he knew where she was. Kunzite worked for Endymion Chiba. Endymon Chiba was buying up every company that he could get his hands on. If he had approached Kenneth about the company, and realized that Serenity was now in charge of it… And when Diamond had called to inform him that he was coming after his daughter with every intention of making her his no matter what… Well, he was assuming a lot. He was assuming that Kenneth had been with Endymion at the time of the call. He was assuming that Serenity would go along with their plan.

But that was okay, because he had finally come up with a plan to get Serenity out into the open. To make her resurface so that way he could take her and finally, _finally_ make her his. He kept the plan to himself until it was ready to be put into place, he didn't want anyone who he didn't trust, which included his brother, to know about it and leak it to the wrong people. He was going to get Serenity. It was only a matter of time.

A knock on the door to his office drew him out of his obsessive thoughts as he continued to stare at Serenity's Facebook profile picture. "Enter," he called as he exited out of the web browser. His brother walked in, a concerned look on his face and as he got closer to Diamond's desk, the look grew grimmer.

"Sapphire," he said. "What can I do for you today?"

"Did you hear the news?" His brother took a seat.

"About?"

"Tskunio Inc.'s board of directors? They're requesting a meeting with Serenity, face-to-face. No video chatting. You didn't have anything to do with this, did you?"

"And why would you think I would?" Diamond asked with a knowing look. He had suspicions that his brother was leaking information to Kenneth about what he had planned for Serenity, that's why he wasn't going to say anything about what he had planned for the next day.

"Because you have been looking for her since she disappeared last month," Sapphire replied with a knowing look of his own. "Why would you plant the idea of a 'no confidence' vote in the board's mind if it wasn't to get Serenity out in the open?"

"Interesting theory, brother. Except I didn't plant the idea in the board's head. If they are bringing that charge against her, then they are doing it of their own free will. It must be all of the video chatting instead of in person meetings she's been having for the last month. Can't say I blame them. How can you be a good CEO if you refuse to meet your clients face to face?"

His brother didn't say anything, he just looked at him trying to read the expression on his face. Trying to figure out if what he was saying was a lie or not. His brother knew how to read him, so he was very careful in keeping his face neutral and not revealing a damn thing. He wasn't going to let his plan fail now. Not when he was so close…

"I see," Sapphire said with a sigh and got up from his seat. When he made it to the door he turned back to Diamond. "I'm going to warn you, Diamond, if you _are_ involved in this any way at all, you need to stop while you still can. The people who are protecting her aren't people you want to mess with."

"Thanks for the hint of concern, but I can assure you, it isn't needed," Diamond turned his chair around ignoring his brother so he could get back to his fantasies. He didn't see his brother shake his head in frustration. He didn't care if Serenity was involved with people who were dangerous. Didn't Sapphire know that Diamond was more dangerous than anybody else out there? He was dangerous when he didn't get his way or what he wanted. And he had been denied Serenity for far too long…

"Soon," he muttered. "Soon."

* * *

Endymion was trying very hard to concentrate on work that afternoon when the phone rang. He threw up his hands in frustration, but knowing that the phone ringing was a good thing. He wasn't getting much done as it was. He kept imagining the different things that he wanted to do with Serenity. The woman was surprisingly down for anything, including the usual rope and handcuff things he had tried on other women. Every time he brought something new in, she looked at it with an unimpressed expression. It was almost like she had done these things before… But he didn't let his mind dwell on it too much. He was just glad that she wasn't running for the hills screaming. She was an amazing woman, and they were growing closer with each night they spent together.

The phone rang again and he finally drew himself out of his thoughts long enough to answer it. "Yes?" He growled into the receiver.

"Endymion Chiba?" The voice asked on the other end.

"Yes?"

"This is Sapphire Sterling, Diamond's brother? I have some information that you might find useful."

"Diamond's brother, huh? And how do I know that I can trust what you have to say?" Endymion asked with suspicion in his voice. He had heard about the other Sterling brother, but not a lot. The guy liked to stay under the radar and let his brother take the lead on things.

"Because Kenneth Tskunio does," Sapphire answered. "I've been relaying information about Diamond's movements since his obsession with Serenity started."

"I see. Continue."

"My bastard brother somehow convinced the board of directors of Tskunio Inc. to hold a no-confidence vote in Serenity's leadership. If she wants any chance of convincing them otherwise, she has to go _in person_ to the meeting tomorrow."

"So what's the problem? Other than the bullshit claim that Serenity can't head up this company?"

"The problem, Mr. Chiba, is that I have a feeling that the meeting tomorrow is a trap."

"A trap?" Endymion asked his brow furrowing. "Why would there be a trap?"

"Diamond's obsession, remember?" Sapphire asked exasperated. "He hasn't been able to find her in over a month. He is determined to make her his no matter what. This board of directors meeting is meant to bring her out so that way he can make his move. Or at least that's what I think."

"I don't blame you for thinking that. It's too much of a coincidence that this meeting would be called when Diamond has also been looking for her. And there's nothing that can be done to delay the meeting? To change their mind?"

"I'm afraid not. If Serenity doesn't show…"

"She'll no longer be CEO," he sighed. "Damn it. There's no way Serenity won't go, she'll fight me tooth and nail… Thanks for the info, I'll try to figure out a way to keep her here and have her keep her company." He hung up the phone without another word. He slumped back in his chair and cursed Diamond Sterling. He was cunning and crafty, he'd give him that. What better way to force Serenity out of hiding then to have the board hold a meeting that she couldn't miss without losing her company? She was going to hate him, but he wouldn't let her go. He didn't care about the company anymore, if she lost it that was fine. Not that she would see it that way. But he'd be damned if he lost her, he…

 _I what?_ He thought to himself. He'd been trying to figure out what the feeling in his stomach was for weeks. Every time he left Serenity after their time between the sheets he felt _bad_. Not in a sick way or anything, but more like he shouldn't be leaving her, that he should stay with her. Have her curled against him… He sighed knowing that maybe he shouldn't be feeling like this, because what if she didn't feel the same? What if… He groaned. She had to feel the same, right? That's why she kept letting him into her bed?

"Oh, Serenity, I think I'm falling for you," he muttered to himself. "But you're going to hate me for what I'm going to do to you." He opened the drawer and took something out that he thought he would never have to use.

* * *

Serenity watched him through half hooded eyes. She was half asleep as it was, but she knew that she needed to stay awake. She needed to ask him something. Things had been different while they had been together that night. He was withdrawn, more so than usual, and he fixed her into the sex swing with less enthusiasm than he usually possessed. Something was up with him and she needed to know what. He was zipping up his pants when she finally gained some sanity back to ask, "Is everything okay? You seemed a little out of it tonight."

He turned back to her somewhat surprised at her question before turning back to his clothes. "It's fine, I just…I'm a little distracted tonight."

"Anything I can do to help?" She asked as she sat up, the blanket wrapped around her torso. His gaze flicked back to her, this time lingering for longer than they had all night when he sat on the bed next to her.

"Serenity…I have something to tell you," he said with a sigh. "But you have to hear me through before you say anything, okay?"

"All right," she replied warily. What could he possibly have to tell her? Was he finally going to confess to her that this whole Diamond thing was a ruse? That he had only kept her here so he could get his hands on her company? But instead he had… She mentally groaned. This was _not_ a romantic-comedy. This was her life, besides he couldn't feel that way about her. He didn't even stay with her after he was done.

"Sapphire Sterling called me today," he started. "Apparently the board of directors for Tskunio Inc. has called a meeting tomorrow that you are required to attend. In person."

"You heard about that?" Serenity asked taken aback. The head of the board had e-mailed her that afternoon to inform her about the meeting and what was to happen at it. She had been undecided about what to do about it. Endymion wasn't going to let her go, she knew that much. He had thrown a hissy fit a few weeks ago when Raye had wanted to spring her for a quick trip to the mall, because every situation could be better with a little retail therapy. But this…she had kind of hoped that he would let her go, considering it was _her_ company that she was fighting for.

"You know?" Endymion countered.

"Yeah, I was actually going to talk to you about it tomorrow at breakfast, but…" she trailed off with a shrug. "You know I have to go, right? That you can't have a little hissy fit like you did when Raye suggested that we go shopping."

"No, you can't go."

"What?" She asked fury building within her. "What do you mean I can't go? Endymion, they're trying to vote me out of my company!"

"You can't go, because Sapphire and I think that this is all a trap to get you out into the open so that Diamond can take you."

"A trap? Diamond's brother and you think it's a trap?" She fell backwards her hand over her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me. How ruthless do you think Diamond is that he would call a board of directors meeting just so he could snatch me?"

"You know him better than I do, Sere," he replied his voice low. "You tell me. Do you think he's capable of something like this?"

"No, I really don't think he is," she sat up as a realization came over her. "But I think you are."

"Me?" He sat back in shock. "You think I'm orchestrating this?"

"Why not? You wanted my company, and if they vote me out because I can't make it, you can always try to buy the guy who they'll replace me with off, and then you'll finally get your wish." Her eyes were burning into him as the situation finally cleared in her muddled brain. Of course, that's what all of this was. It wasn't about _her_ protection. It was about _her_ company. The man was ruthless and twisted and she had stupidly let him into her bed when all he really wanted was her damn company.

Endymion stood up, something in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. It almost looked like he was hurt by her accusation. "You really think I'm still after your company? That I'm making up the whole Diamond thing just to get to that? Why?"

"Why? Because what else should I think?" She asked and before he could say it she plowed right through. "Just because we're sleeping together, you think I'm not going to suspect you of making all of this up? That I'm supposed to think that you actually care for me? When I can't because you refuse to stay with me afterwards! You treat me like a twisted version of Mr. Rochester's crazy wife in the attic in _Jane Eyre_!"

He stumbled back shocked by her outburst, and she sat there the sheet still wrapped around her as her fury continued to pour from her. How could she have been so stupid to think that maybe he actually had feelings for her? She should have known…

"You can think that if you wish, Serenity," he said finally regaining his bearings. "But I'm going to protect you from the true psychopath. You won't be going to that meeting tomorrow. I'm going to make sure of that." He turned and walked away slamming the door to her room behind her.

"And how are you going to do that?" She asked, her voice low. He couldn't stop her from leaving if she wanted to. Yes, he could refuse her a ride back into the city, but she had friends who could drive her. Or she could call a cab. So how was he going to stop her from walking out the front door?

_Click._

She stood up when she heard what sounded like a key in a lock. _What_? She thought and walked to her door. She tried the knob, but it wouldn't budge. She kept trying but to no avail.

She was locked in.


	6. Chapter 5: Prisoner of His Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shockingly, not a big disclaimer this time. Don't own Sailor Moon or Beauty & the Beast, don't own the song "Watching Me, Watching You" by We Are Smug and this chapter is rated M for a reason, but mostly for violence in this chapter. Read on!

_Are you playing by a stranger's rules?_  
_Are you watching TV, is it watching you?_  
_'Cause I can't breathe and I can't sleep at night_  
_I'm sending out a call for something new_  
_Somebody help me escape tonight_

_~Watching Me Watching You ~We Are Smug_

* * *

Endymion leaned on the other side of Serenity's door as he listened to her call him every name in the book, punch and kick the door multiple times. Her fury was understandable. He had locked her inside her room. He had denied her the one pleasure that she had had since she had arrived here – her freedom to roam around the house at her will. Sure, she had only gone into the kitchen, the dining room, and his sister's room since she had been there, but still. It was more of the idea that she was free to do what she wished in the house. But yet, she was stuck inside now and he knew how she loved to be trapped. He sighed and hit his head gently on the door just as she aimed another kick.

His head bounced slightly at the contact and he thought about what had happened inside. What Serenity had said hurt. How could she still think that this had _anything_ to do with her company? After the things they had done? That took _trust_ , and he had thought that he had finally gained hers. But apparently not and he was surprised to feel hurt by it. He knew that this had started with him going after her for her company, but then he had met her and everything changed. He was feeling things he didn't think he could feel. He was falling for her and he couldn't find out if she felt the same or could feel the same if she went to that meeting tomorrow. Diamond would take her then. She could die. So he had to protect her at all costs. With reluctance he left her door and made his way down the stairs.

He was definitely going to need a drink to get his mind off of this. As he made his way towards his study, Kunzite came in through the front door. He looked almost as haunted as Endymion did.

"Bourbon?" He asked his friend who nodded and followed him into his study. Kunzite closed the door behind them as he went to his drink cart and started fixing drinks. He handed his friend a glass and they sat down together on the couch, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Why so glum, chum?" Endymion murmured and put his empty glass down on the table. "You look like you just saw a ghost or something. What's going on?"

"Women," his friend said hoarsely. He took a drink. "I met someone."

"That's great," Endymion tried to say with a chipper voice, but the look on Kunzite's face didn't change. "Isn't it?"

"Yes and no. It's great because she's amazing and I honestly think that she could be the one. But it sucks because of this damn curse. I keep having dreams about her, man. Dreams where I'm killing her and I'm _enjoying it_." He slung back the rest of his drink. Endymion passed him the bottle, and instead of pouring more into his glass he drank straight from the bottle.

"That's messed up," Endymion murmured into his glass. "I'm sorry, about all of this, Kunzite. If it wasn't for me and my messed up ways we wouldn't be in this situation right now."

"No, we wouldn't. Please tell me that things are going well between you and Serenity."

"Uh…"

"What?"

"Yes and no," Endymion answered honestly. "I thought things were going well because of the whole bedroom situation. She was up for anything and it didn't seem to scare her. But then I get this call…"

"Oh, god, a _call_." Kunzite's words were starting to slur.

"From Sapphire, Diamond's brother? Apparently, the asshole made the board of directors for Tskunio Inc. question whether or not Serenity is capable of fulfilling her duties as CEO. So they called a meeting, and she _has_ to be there _in person_. Or else they're going to vote her out."

"But if she goes, Diamond could get his hands on her."

"Exactly. So I told her about the meeting, although she already knew about it, and she told me that she was going even _after_ I told her about how it could be a plot to kidnap her. She accused me of orchestrating the whole thing so I could get my hands on her company."

"Ouch."

"I told her that it wasn't like that anymore. But she didn't believe me and started yelling more accusations, I told her that she could believe what she wanted to but that didn't mean I wasn't going to try and protect her. I left and…well, I locked her into her room."

"Oh hell," Kunzite slurred and handed him the bottle. "You need this more than I do." Endymion took it and threw back a few gulps. "You know, though, Endymion, she is right. I mean, you guys have barely known each other a month, started sleeping together before you knew each other a week, and you did lure her here, originally, to get her company. She has a right to be suspicious of you." They lapsed into silence as each dealt with their thoughts.

Endymion knew that his friend was right. That Serenity was right. He had intended to take Serenity's company from her when he had learned that she was the CEO. But things had changed when he gone on that reconnaissance mission. He had said it before and he would say it again, she was different than any woman that he knew. She wasn't _scared_ of the things he wanted to do with her. She almost welcomed it. _That I'm supposed to think that you actually care for me? When I can't because you refuse to stay with me afterwards! You treat me like a twisted version of Mr. Rochester's crazy wife in the attic in_ Jane Eyre _!_ Her voice echoed in his head of her earlier accusations. Well, okay, maybe she _didn't_ welcome all of it. She still wanted him to stay with her afterwards, and she was right. He should be staying with her, but…

The door bounced open and a silhouetted figured stood in the doorway. "Would someone like to tell me why Serenity is throwing a major ass hissy fit in her room, right now?" Raye asked as she walked into the room. Her eyes roamed over the two men sitting on the couch, the bottle of bourbon between them. An eyebrow rose before she said. "Oh, hell, this can't be good. Someone better tell me what the hell is going on and _fast_."

So Endymion told her and with each sentence that came out of his mouth, Raye's anger dissipated. She knocked her brother over and sat down between the two men on the couch as he continued his tale. She snatched the bottle of alcohol out of his hand and slung back a few swallows. When he let slip the line that she had told him about the _Jane Eyre_ thing, Kunzite started laughing uncontrollably.

"You didn't tell me that part," he replied to the Chibas' questioning glances. "I have to admit that is funny. Mr. Rochester's crazy wife in the attic."

"That's her English major showing," Raye commented. "But she is right. You don't stay with her afterwards. You basically come in, bang her and leave. If you want her to be the one to break this curse, Endymion, you have to treat her better. And locking her in her room is not the best start."

"I know," he groaned. "But what else am I supposed to do? It'll be hard to break the curse if she isn't here. I have a feeling that Sapphire is right. This is all part of Diamond's plan. He knows she won't be able to resist coming to that meeting that she'll want to fight for her position. What better way to get her out into the open?"

"I'm not disagreeing with you, bro, but did you really have to lock her into her room? You're treating her like a prisoner now."

"You know her, Raye, if I hadn't locked her in, she would have gone to that meeting. I can't take that risk. Yes, she's going to hate me for a while, but if it keeps her safe, I can live with that."

Raye sighed and knocked back another mouthful of bourbon. "At least talk to her tomorrow morning. Give her some time to cool off, and then talk to her. Hopefully, she'll be calm enough to see reason." She handed her brother back the bottle and got up to leave, leaving the two men to sit in their misery for a little while longer.

* * *

Serenity collapsed into a heap by the door to her room. Her legs and palms of her hands were throbbing from kicking and punching the door so many times. But it hadn't mattered. No matter how hard she hit the door, it wouldn't crack. The door was too well crafted. Endymion had locked her in and she couldn't get out of here until he unlocked that door. _Stupid asshole_ , she thought to herself, feeling the rawness of her throat. She had been screaming for the last two hours, but he must have commanded everyone in the house to ignore her. _Bastard_ , now her throat was going to be a mess for the meeting tomorrow. Not that _he_ cared, if he had his way he wasn't going to let her go. Which is what he wanted to happen anyway. Yeah, he had come up with this whole story about Diamond bribing the board, blah, blah, blah. She didn't believe it. How could she?

Sure, given, when Diamond and her were kids and her father had made that asinine comment that wouldn't it be something if they got together and got married when they were older, Diamond had become a little obsessive. But to take it to this extreme? He wasn't capable of that. Not the Diamond she had grown up with. And yet…the way that he had been acting in her office a month ago… Well, maybe, if she was feeling generous, she could see Endymion's point. But she wasn't feeling generous. If it was true that Diamond had somehow bribed the board, it didn't matter, because the board doubted her. They were going to remove her unless she proved to them otherwise. She had to get to that meeting tomorrow. She had to…

Serenity's eyes closed from exhaustion, and she felt herself give into sleep. Maybe things would look better tomorrow morning. Maybe Endymion would finally see sense.

* * *

" _You shouldn't be here, Mr. Chiba," the police detective said, trying to hold him back from entering the room. "This is nothing that you should see."_

 _"I know her father and she was my - " What? Girlfriend? Acquaintance? Roommate? He sighed in despair. "I knew her well. I want to see what's become of her. Now, please, get out of my way." The detective sighed in defeat knowing better than to argue with one of the biggest businessman in the country._ As he should _, he couldn't help but mutter to himself as he walked into the bedroom._

_There was puddles of red everywhere and he cringed to think that this all belonged to her. His eyes continued to sweep the room until they landed on her. Her cold lifeless body was only clothed in a bra, her panties torn and hanging off of one leg. The brute had raped her before killing her. He thought disgustedly. Her usually glowing blonde hair was limp and splattered with her blood. Her mouth was still open in a silent scream and her eyes, still open, were lifeless._

_"No," he whispered. "No…"_

"NO!" He screamed and jolted himself awake. He was sitting up in bed, breathing heavily, sweat drenched. He put his head into his hands and groaned. His head was aching something fierce. Probably the affects of finishing off two bottles of bourbon with Kunzite the night before. Luckily his heavy curtains still blocked out the sun. Why then was his head aching so? He looked up and blanched when his gaze connected with the glass-covered rose that was sitting on his dresser. The rose that the witch had given him three years ago. Beneath the rose was a scattering of petals. They had started to fall the day he had met Serenity. But now the rose was glowing a lightish pink color.

"That's new," he murmured and got out of bed to investigate. As he neared the flower, the pink hue deepened to blood red. He had never seen it do that before, and it was really unnerving. Why was it doing that? Did it have something to do with Serenity? Was she in danger? What? He turned his back on it, knowing that it wouldn't do to think too hard about it. Besides it was giving him too much of a headache. What he _should_ be thinking about was the nightmare that he woke up from. Serenity dead. What the hell had that been about? Was he projecting his fears about her going to that meeting this afternoon? About the danger that she was going to be in? His head throbbed and he groaned. Too much thinking. He needed a shower and an aspirin. His head throbbed again. Maybe more than one…

* * *

" _I love you," she murmured as he started gathering his clothes. He froze and looked back to her. A new look that she hadn't seen before crossed his features. He looked shocked, then happy, then… Was that anger? She couldn't tell, she was so tired. A light finger traced her cheek. That woke her up slightly. He had never been this gentle with her. Not even when she had given herself to him. She watched him warily now. This would either end badly or…well, she doubted it would end well._

" _You shouldn't," he said his voice stern and ungiving. "Put on your clothes." He left and slammed the door to the bedroom shut. With klutzy motions she threw on the summer dress she had come in. She didn't know what to expect when she left this room and that's why she hurried her motions. He didn't like to be kept waiting, and if he was in a bad mood…_

_She opened the door and saw him standing at the expansive window looking out to the city below. When he heard the door creak open he turned to face her. The look was back in his eyes. She couldn't name it. It wasn't quite anger, but it wasn't something that brought butterflies of happiness to her stomach. She approached him cautiously and when she was in range, his hand shot out and grabbed her. She was pulled flush against him, but after all the times that he did this, this was different. He wasn't aroused against her stomach and his fingers were pressing painfully into her skin. She opened her mouth to speak._

" _Stay silent, Serenity," he commanded. "You made a mistake tonight and this one I can't let go. You will be punished and not as nicely as they have been in the past…" With his both hands he pushed her backwards, her back hit the wall painfully. Dazed she looked up and saw him approaching her, a flash of something in his hand._

Serenity awoke with a start. Her eyes taking in the ceiling above her as her heart raced in her chest. That had been the first time that she had dreamed about _him_ since Endymion and her had agreed to their time in bed together. It was amazing what could be brought up because of one stupid fight. She sighed and sat up, surprised slightly to find herself in her bed. She had fallen asleep curled against the door she was pretty sure. So had Endymion finally come in to check on her this morning? _Coward_ , she thought before she caught sight of the breakfast tray on her desk. _Ms. Pots_ , she sighed. So she was the one who had found her and had put her to bed. That meant Endymion had told the whole staff that she wasn't supposed to be let out of her room. She threw her pillow in anger against the door, but it didn't make a sound. She grumbled and got up to retrieve it and have some breakfast when someone knocked on her door.

"Serenity?" Endymion's voice came through.

"What?" Her voice barely rasped out. She froze. Great, not only was she locked inside her room, but she had no voice too! This was going to be quite fun for her meeting today. She scurried to her desk as he continued to call her name to grab a piece of paper and pen. She scribbled something and then slid it under the door. She heard his footsteps walking away from her door and she wondered what was going on. All she had written was _Yes?_. The footsteps came back and she heard scribbling before the piece of paper was slid back under the door.

_Yes?_

_**What's with the note? Not speaking to me?** _

_Lost my voice from screaming at you last night. Have you come to let me out?_

_**No. You're still not going to that meeting.** _

She groaned as she read his response. He was still being stubborn about this. Fine, well, at least he should hear her out!

_Not even if some of your friends come with me?_

His response took a while to come back. But when it did she wanted to scream.

_**Nice to know that you're willing to compromise, and your idea was a good one. I thought of it myself last night, but don't you think Diamond would too? He would have planned for something like this.** _

_He's not that cunning! Let me go to this meeting!_

_**NO** _ _**! I don't want you to get hurt, no matter what you may think of my intentions. I want you safe. Please?** _

Her head thunked against the door. He wanted her safe. He really thought that Diamond was going to be there to take her. She sighed. It was a losing battle. He would keep her locked in here even if she agreed. But maybe he wouldn't watch her if she agreed to not go…

_Fine. But as soon as the meeting is over, you better unlock the door!_

_**Deal. Thank you.** _

His footsteps faded away from her door and she crumpled the piece of paper. At least he wouldn't be worried about her going to the meeting now. She just had to figure out how to get out of here and to that meeting… She got up from her spot on the floor and went to her desk to eat some breakfast. As she chewed on a piece of French toast she looked around her room. She knew there wasn't an escape point in the bathroom. The only entrance was through her room. There were no windows in there, but there was a window in her room. A _balcony_ to be more precise. What were the chances…she wandered over and tested the doors that led to the outside world. They gave with no exertion on her part. She walked onto the balcony and took in the view. There were trees for as far as she could see, but further down there was a path. A path that led towards the front of the house and the driveway. Her brain started calculating whether or not she could climb down from the balcony to the ground below. It didn't look that hard, and she fell it wasn't too far of a drop since she was on the second floor…

She turned back inside and picked up her phone. If she was going to do this she was going to need someone from outside the house's help.

* * *

It was almost two hours later and Serenity was almost down to the ground. Sweat was trickling down her neck as she tried to lower herself to the ground below. It _had_ been harder than it looked from the balcony, she forgot how slippery marble and brick could be from her days of sneaking out of her father's house. But with only a few mishaps, she was almost there. Just one more…she lowered her foot until it came in contact with the grass below. She stepped down and looked up in amazement. How she was going to get back up…well…that was another matter all together. She turned away from the wall and found the path she had seen from above. She turned in the direction that she thought would be the front of the house and started walking, her bag bouncing against her hip with each step.

She knew that Endymion was going to be pissed when he found out that she had gone to the meeting. That she would probably be _truly_ locked in when she returned, but wouldn't it be something if she returned through the front door with a triumphant grin on her face? _Haha, look at me, Diamond didn't kidnap me like you thought,_ she could picture herself saying. She continued walking and turned when the path forked. She didn't have to walk long to come across the driveway where she had pulled up her car only a month ago. Now, all she needed to do was make her way down the driveway without being seen, and hopefully Lita would be there waiting. She ducked behind the fountain in the center and peered over the top. The windows to a room (she didn't know which) were dark, so no one was there. The other windows showed the foyer. No one was there, with one last look she dashed down the driveway to an awaiting car.

The passenger door opened and Lita yelled out, "Get in, loser, we're going to save your company!" Serenity let out a laugh as she dived inside and closed the door behind her. Her brunette friend floored the engine and they pealed off down the street.

"Thanks for coming," she told her friend. "Did you bring what I asked?"

"Yeah, it's in the back," Lita nodded to the backseat and Serenity climbed over the seat. Hanging from the hook was the black pantsuit with red blouse outfit that she had requested for Lita to bring. She had known that her climb down from the balcony was dangerous, and it would have been more dangerous if she had done it in heals. So she had asked Lita to bring an outfit with shoes so that way she could change on their way to the meeting.

She started to change, "So how are things?" She asked as she pulled her t-shirt over her head.

"Good. The restaurant has been pretty busy the last month or so," she looked at her in the rearview mirror. "How about you? You're the one who's been locked away with the hottest CEO _ever_. Did you take my suggestion about having fun?"

"I did," she replied. "And he was fun until he locked me into my room. Oh, and did you know Raye and Endymion are related?"

"What?" The car screeched. "Serenity, don't tell me these things while I'm driving or else I won't be able to get you to your meeting in one piece. Now, start from the beginning."

After telling her everything that had happened in the last month, Lita was shaking her head. "I told you to have fun," she said as the car entered the city limits. "Not get into a new relationship that seems to be almost as complicated as your last one."

"I know," Serenity replied. "But sometimes, you can't help it. When life gives you lemons, you know?"

"You definitely made some lemonade," Lita laughed. "But I'm concerned about this Diamond guy. Are you sure you want to go to this meeting alone?"

"I'm sure. Besides I got to show my board that just because I was majoring in English in college that doesn't mean I don't know my way around a board room."

"And if it is a trap?"

"Then Endymion gets to tell me he told me so."

* * *

Andrew Furuhata, Hotaru Tomoe, and Haruka Tenoh were the members of the Tskunio Inc. board. They didn't want to be in the conference room that afternoon. They didn't want to hold this meeting that would ultimately strip Serenity Tskunio of her title of CEO. They _liked_ Serenity that was why they had picked her even when other companies wondered as to why they picked an incomplete English major with no business experience as the CEO of the company. They knew better than the others did. They knew that Serenity had been watching her father do his job until she left to go to college, to distance herself from the family business. But that was why they knew they could bring her in when Kenneth was starting to show his problems to the public. So why then, were they calling this no confidence vote?

Diamond Sterling, of course. The man, the one who was originally groomed to take over the role of not only his family's company, but Kenneth's as well, was sitting with an arrogant smirk on his face watching them. Even though Serenity had gone into hiding because of this man, the board hadn't. They had been in the open and ripe for the taking when he came looking for a way to draw the elusive CEO out of her hiding spot. He had threatened them all to call the meeting, and the crazy thing was he wasn't even going to be there. He was about to go to Serenity's office to wait for her there, while the board distracted her with this BS meeting.

"So, are we clear as to what is to happen?" He asked his violet eyes flashing.

"Yes," Haruka replied through gritted teeth. "If Serenity shows, we stall her long enough with our claims of concern, and then when she makes a convincing case to stay on, we acquiesce to her request."

"Then we tell her about the paperwork that needs her immediate attention that is in her office."

"And then our part is over," Hotaru said her dark eyes flashing with contempt for the blonde haired man in front of her. The man only chuckled in response as he got up from his chair.

"Indeed it is," he laughed. "Because when I finally have Serenity _and_ her company, I'll be looking for a new board of directors. I don't want people so easily threatened on my board." He laughed some more as he walked out the door. As the door closed behind him, Hotaru threw a look to her fellow members.

"I really hate that man," she said. "I'm hoping Serenity is smart enough not to come."

"Wouldn't you if you were in her position?" Andrew asked bitterly.

"Yes," Haruka replied with a sigh of defeat and then looked at the clock. It was one, the time when the meeting was supposed to start and Serenity wasn't there. She looked at the others with a hopeful look. But just as she was about to open her mouth to call the meeting over, the door slammed open and the familiar blonde walked through.

"I'm not late, am I?" She asked her face set. There was no amusement in her gaze.

"No, you're right on time," Andrew said his voice full of disappointment. "Let's begin."

* * *

Mina Aino sat at her desk that afternoon feeling slightly down. She knew that she should be excited, her friend and boss was coming back into the office for the first time in a month. And no matter what other people said about their bosses, she _actually_ missed hers. Serenity was her best friend and although she understood why she had to go into hiding, she still missed her. So, she should have been excited, but there was a part of her that was caught up in her own life drama. Kunzite hadn't called since last night. He hadn't called since he had walked out on her after having a near panic attack when they were making out on her couch. She wanted things to go further. They had been dating for a few weeks now it was time. But every time she had pushed the issue, he closed up on her.

This time had been the worst yet. They had been making out, going at it more than they had before, when he had pulled at her dress. She allowed him to strip her out of it, exposing herself in full bra and panties, when he had frozen. She thought he was going to freak out, because it was the furthest they had gone, but he continued his ministrations. Until…well, she couldn't quite describe what had happened, her head had been too muddled by pleasure. All she remembered was a brief pain on her side and then he was off of her and across the room, his hand outstretched to ward her away. She didn't understand why he was freaking out about this, but he had and he had left without hearing her scream his name.

When she had gotten ready for work that morning there had been a deep scratch on her abdomen. It was scabbed over and she stared for a long time at it in the mirror. Was that what Kunzite had been so concerned about? That he had hurt her? It couldn't have been the first time he had gotten carried away like that. Hadn't he ever done this before? She sighed and tried to focus on her work. She didn't want Serenity to think she was slacking because of guy problems. That's when she saw Diamond Sterling striding down the hallway to her desk.

"You can't be here," she said standing up.

"Oh, why ever not?" He asked with an innocent look on his face.

"Serenity isn't in," Mina replied with a stern voice. "Besides you know she doesn't want you here anyway. In fact, she told me to call security the next time I saw you here." She reached down for the phone, but never got the chance to dial. Diamond rushed her and grabbed her hand away from the phone. His hand was over her mouth so she couldn't scream.

"Now, what fun would that be?" He whispered into her ear. "You see I have a plan for Serenity, and if you're here to ruin it for me, well…" he trailed off. She squirmed in his grasp trying to get free, but he squeezed tighter until she saw dark spots in her vision. She lost consciousness and slumped over.

Diamond lowered the unconscious blonde into her chair before taking out the rope and duct tape that he had brought with him. He had been planning this down to the smallest detail and the secretary was no exception. As he tied up her hands and feet, he checked on the supply closet that was behind her desk. There was room for a body about her size. He smiled and lifted her in there. He closed and locked the door. Stashing the key in his pocket he walked into Serenity's office. The room hadn't changed much since he had been there last month. Her computer was still turned off, there were piles of paperwork on the surface of her desk. He examined these with interest knowing that the papers that Serenity was supposed to sign after her meeting with the board should be right on top.

And they were. He skimmed through them and shook his head. They were just simple contract extension papers, nothing that would sign her life away like he had hoped. But at least the ruse would work. Now, it was his turn to make sure everything was set up for when she came back from the meeting, which, as he looked at the clock, should be in about fifteen minutes. He left the room and made it towards the small kitchenette area that was by the secretary's desk. He proceeded to make a cup of coffee, just with one added ingredient. He smiled as he walked back into her office and placed it on an open area of her desk. He sat down in her chair and couldn't help but grin.

Now all he had to do was wait.

* * *

Serenity sat in exasperation as the board sat in silence. They were exchanging looks with each other and she wanted to scream at them all, but she knew that if she did she might still lose her job. She came in and made her case as to why she shouldn't be dethroned as the CEO and they had been in silence ever since. She was really starting to wonder if maybe Endymion had been right that all of this had been a ruse. But she hadn't seen Diamond anywhere, so what the actual hell? Her temper was about to break if they didn't start speaking soon.

"Well…" Hotaru broke the silence. "I guess our claims that you were unfit to be CEO, because of this Diamond thing have gone unfounded. We're sorry to drag you in here like this, Serenity."

"Right," she murmured. "Well, if the board has decided to keep me on as CEO, I better get going. I'm risking _a lot_ by being here any longer than I should be."

"Sorry for wasting your time," Andrew said with an apologetic smile.

"Next time? E-mail me your concerns, that way all of this can be avoided?" Serenity sarcastically said as she got up from her seat and made her way to the door. Her hand was on the handle when Haruka called her back.

"Wait," she said. "Before you leave, stop by your office. There is some paper work that you need to sign."

"All right," Serenity turned the door handle and left the board behind her. Not seeing the worried looks the board sent each other as she left. She stomped down the hallway towards her office feeling the anger finally boil over in her veins. She honestly didn't understand her board of directors right now. They call her in for a no confidence vote, but she showed up and made her case and then they just said forget about it? Something was up and the sooner she got out of this place, the sooner she could get back to Endymion's place and to…. She slowed in her steps. _Wait_ , she thought to herself. Was she excited to go back to Endymion's house? To Endymion? But…that didn't make any sense. He had _locked her_ into her room to keep her from this meeting! He just wanted her for her company! _Did he though?_ A small voice in her head asked and she stumbled while walking. Of course he did! That was the whole reason he had brought her to his house! The only reason she had stayed was because of this whole Diamond thing. But when she had accused him last night of keeping her in his house so he could get his hands on her company he had looked _so_ hurt by what she had said…

Serenity bit her lip. Maybe she was wrong about him. Maybe it had started out as a way to get his hands on his company, but after everything that they had done together, maybe he was starting to develop feelings for her. Maybe… she sighed and walked past Mina's empty desk. _Huh that was weird_ , she subconsciously thought as she walked into her office. She took a seat on her desk chair and took a quick look at the paperwork that Haruka had told her about. Her mind was still thinking about Endymion as she signed the forms. It was ridiculous that she was thinking about this. She had known since everything had happened a few years ago that her life wasn't a romantic comedy. She wasn't that lucky. Her life was a horror movie on her worst days, and maybe a documentary on her best. There was no happy ending for her. Hadn't her last relationship proved that?

She sat back and noticed the cup of coffee on her desk. Had Mina put that there before she disappeared to who knows where? She took hold of the mug and noticed that it was still warm. Obviously put there recently, she took a sip feeling the caffeine rush through her veins. Or something rushed through her veins…the coffee tasted a little off. It was probably the coffee creamer. They had that bottle forever. She made herself a note to remind Mina to replace it. She went back to the stack of paperwork on her desk and kept blinking. The letters were looking a little blurry. And was that a shadow over her desk? She looked up and came face to face with a pair of violet eyes.

"Diamond?" She slurred.

"Hello, Serenity," he replied with an evil smile.

"How?" She couldn't form the rest of the sentence, but he knew what she meant.

"How did I get in here? Well, that was quite easy. You see I planned all of this, my love. Every little detail, especially your usual cup of coffee. Now, I believe that you'll finally have the time to talk to me. Once you wake up of course." Serenity's eyes drooped, even as she tried to fight it, but it was to no avail. Whatever was in her coffee had been strong and it was working its way through her bloodstream.

 _Endymion was right,_ she thought before she lost consciousness.

* * *

Endymion was sitting in his study staring at nothing. He had come in after breakfast and his note passing with Serenity to get some work done. He hadn't gotten any done yesterday, and as his head continued to pound he realized that he wasn't going to get any done today. So he pushed back from his desk and leaned in his chair to stare at the ceiling. He turned down the lights, because his hangover was still bothering him, even after three aspirins. At some point he had started to doze, he only knew this because he saw Serenity in his dream. Of course, in his dream, she was running by his window, why she was running he could only hazard a guess. He only awoke because Amy had knocked on his door and asked what he wanted for lunch.

He didn't answer. His mind too preoccupied by the dream he was having. Sleep was nice. It eased his throbbing head and Serenity…well, Serenity was still Serenity in his dreams. At least it wasn't like his nightmare that morning when she was dead.

_Her face was obscured by a magenta lace mask. She was in his arms and they were dancing away in the ballroom. Other couples surrounded them, also wearing masks, and he didn't care. There was only her. Her eyes were sparkling behind the mask, her lips upturned into a smile that took his breath away. They continued to dance, until someone else cut in._

_It was the red haired witch from three years ago. His eyebrow rose in question. "I don't remember inviting you."_

" _You didn't," she said with a sad smile. "I'm not really here. This is all a dream, Endymion."_

" _Then why are you here?"_

" _I'm here to tell you that what you're feeling is true. Serenity is the one who will break my curse. That's why I'm surprised that you aren't taking better care of her."_

_He stopped dancing. "What are you talking about?"_

" _Serenity. I thought you would have protected her with your life."_

" _I am protecting her! I'm keeping her away from that monster, Diamond. She's locked in her room so as not to go to that trap of a meeting."_

" _Too bad you forgot about the balcony."_

 _His face paled. The balcony. He_ had _forgotten that her room connected to a balcony, but she was on the second floor. How did she get down…?_

" _No," he whispered._

" _I'm sorry, Endymion," the witch said._

He woke up with his heart pounding again. That dream had seemed so real. Serenity wouldn't have used that balcony, right? She wasn't that desperate to get to that meeting? He sighed knowing that she would be. It was _her_ company. She would fight for it as long as she was breathing. _No_ , he thought and got out of his chair and ran for the door. He ran past Kunzite who looked after him before he followed his friend up the stairs to Serenity's room. He knocked on the door frantically.

"Serenity?" He called and then waited. There was no rustle of paper being slipped underneath the door. There was _no_ sound coming from the other side of the door. "Serenity!" He exclaimed and knocked harder, hoping that she was only sleeping, but the pit in his stomach knew better. Raye had come out of her room to figure out what the noise was all about, and froze when she saw the look on her brother's face.

"She's not in there, is she?" She asked her face pale.

"We're about to find out," Endymion replied as he took the key out of his pocket. He put it in the lock and turned. The doorknob twisted and he pushed the door open. The room was empty and as he walked inside, he saw that the balcony doors were open. He collapsed onto the carpet as the realization dawned at him. Even though he had tried to protect her, she had fooled him and gone to the meeting anyway. She was putting herself in danger, and he would be damned if he would let her.

"Let's go," he said as he stood up. "We have to go to her building in the city."

"Endymion," Kunzite replied a worried tone in his voice. "When was that meeting?"

"At one, why?"

"It's almost six," Raye whispered her eyes widening. "She should have been home by now." Endymion looked at the clock on Serenity's desk to confirm the fact, that yes, it was almost six in the evening.

"No," he whispered. "She might have gotten stuck in traffic or the meeting might have gone late." He tried to think of more excuses that would work, but he knew that it was in vain. The three of them knew that Serenity had left the house and gone to that meeting and that Sapphire had been right. It was a trap. Diamond had gotten a hold of her.

A ringing sound filled the quiet room. The three exchanged looks before Endymion walked over to Serenity's desk and found the source of the ringing. It was her cell phone. The name 'Lita' was on the screen, he picked up the call.

"Hello?"

"You're not Serenity," a feminine voice answered. "Who is this?"

"This is Endymion Chiba."

"Oh! Does that mean you picked her up then?"

He groaned. "No, I'm just finding out that she left the house. I was hoping that she was stuck in traffic."

"No such luck," Lita muttered. "Damn it. That Diamond guy got to her, didn't he?"

"I'm afraid so," Endymion replied and turned when Kunzite tapped him on the shoulder. "Hang on a second, Lita." He covered the phone. "What?"

"I just tried calling Mina at the office, and she's not answering. I called her cell phone too. Something is wrong."

"Mina?" Endymion muttered. "The woman you've been seeing is Serenity's secretary?" Kunzite only nodded, his face pinched in concern for her. "All right, we're going down there. Get Nephrite and Zoicite. Jadeite will stay here to look after Raye and Amy. Tell them to get the chopper ready. There's no way I'm waiting an hour to get to that building." As his friend went off to find the other two guys, he turned back to the phone. "I'm on my way, any chance you can meet me at Serenity's office?"

"Sure," Lita answered. "I'm sorry, Endymion, if I had known that this was serious I would have gone with her."

"Can't worry about that now," he murmured. "We'll see you soon." He clicked the phone off and left the room, trying to control his temper. He wasn't going to lose her. He would see Diamond dead first.

 _I'm coming, Serenity_.


	7. Chapter 6: Everybody's Got a Dark Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Sailor Moon or Beauty and the Beast. I don't own the song "Demons" by Imagine Dragons either. Also this story is rated Mfor a reason, mostly because of violence, dark histories and attempted rape in this chapter. You've been warned.

_So they dug your grave and the masquerade_  
_Will come calling out at the mess you've made_  
 _Don't want to let you down, but I am hell bound_  
 _Know this is all for you don't want to hide the truth_

_~Demons ~Imagine Dragons_

* * *

Serenity woke with her head pounding. She felt the familiar haze of being drugged and she winced. This haze was familiar, hadn't she felt it before many times? Where she didn't remember what she had done the day before? She shook her head, trying to clear the haze away, but it felt too heavy still. Whatever had been in her coffee wasn't out of her system yet. That's when the memories started to pour back in and she realized what had happened. Diamond had been in her office. He had drugged her. She had lost consciousness. _Oh, hell_ , she thought to herself as she tried to look around her, but it was too dark. _Endymion is going to kill me_ , she kept thinking trying not to let the negative in. She was going to get away from Diamond no matter what he had planned, Endymion would come for her once he realized that she was missing… _if_ he realized she was missing since she had snuck out of the house without telling anyone where she was going. Until then, she had to figure out where exactly Diamond was holding her.

Once he turned on the lights. She squinted trying to make out familiar shapes, but there was nothing. It was just a dark and empty void. She heard a rustling sound from her right and then footsteps that sounded like they were approaching her. Was this Diamond? Was he in the room with her and noticed that she was awake? She tried to keep her breathing even, as if she was still asleep, to maybe throw him off. She didn't know what he had planned for her – okay, maybe she _did_ – but she didn't want to find out before she knew where the hell she was. Something was leaning over her, touching the back of her head. Fumbling with something. Just when she was about to let out a scream, light invaded her vision.

She blinked, not used to the brightness and took in her surroundings. It looked like her father's old study. She hadn't been in there since she was a kid. It was the same light wood paneling on the walls, the dim lighting from the lamps on the tables in the corners. But it couldn't be her dad's study because that was in his house. There was no way Diamond would have been able to get her there. Unless he had killed her father… Yet something was off about this room. Something that made her pause. She took stock of everything now that she could see. She wasn't tied up to a chair. She was laid out flat on her back, but it wasn't on an uncomfortable surface. There was padding beneath her, and her head seemed to be on a pillow... _Oh, no_ … she turned to the side, to where Diamond was indeed still standing waiting for her to figure it out, and saw it.

She was on a bed.

Diamond was smirking at her as her eyes widened in fear. Serenity admitted that when Endymion's insane plan had first been told to her, she thought he was crazy. The Diamond she had known wouldn't be capable of what her father and Endymion had told her that he wanted to do to her. Sure, his obsession with her might have been a little out there, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. That's why she had been so combative when Endymion wouldn't let her out. Now, though, as she looked into Diamond's eyes, she saw why they had been concerned. His obsession was no longer a little bit out there, it was downright psychotic and she had been fool enough to come out of her hiding hole.

 _I'll show you the true psychopath,_ Endymion's voice echoed in her head. Why hadn't she listened to him? Had she really been that blinded by defending her company that she couldn't see that he was trying to protect her? Add in her bad relationship past and maybe she had been blinded. Maybe Endymion was trying to protect her because somewhere in the last month he had started developing feelings for her. Feelings she had shoved in his face when she accused him of locking her in just so he could get her company. God, she had been an idiot and now, she was never going to…

"What I wouldn't give, to know what's going on in that pretty head of yours, Serenity," Diamond broke into her deep thinking. She looked up in shock, forgetting for a second that he was still standing there next to the bed. His fingers lightly trailed over her jaw line and she tried not to shiver at his touch. His fingers were ice cold. Not like Endymion's. She pushed herself away from his fingers.

"What do you want, Diamond?" She found herself asking, her words were slightly slurring. The drugs still weren't out of her system. What had he given her?

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked sitting down next to her on the bed. She tried to move away, not liking how close he was to her, but he wouldn't let her go any further. His arm snaked around her legs and pulled her closer to his body. "I haven't seen you in over a month, Serenity. I had to resort to some backhanded things just to get you out in the open in over a month. Where have you been? Why don't you want to talk to me?" His fingers trailed up her leg.

"Because you've officially lost it, Diamond, or aren't you hearing yourself? You had to do backhanded things to get me out of hiding. My father told me what you want from me, and I was in hiding until you could be stopped." The fingers on her leg pressed into her skin painfully. That's not what he wanted to hear.

"I can't be stopped, Serenity," he said his voice husky as he leaned closer to her. "I won't stop until you're mine. Your father wanted this, why won't you do as your father bids you just once in your life, Sere? Can't you see how much I love you? Who else can?"

It must have been the drugs still in her system, but she couldn't help but wonder if Diamond was right? Who else could love her? _He_ certainly didn't, and look what had happened when she had told _him_ that she had loved _him_. She was still suffering from those scars. And Endymion? Well, he cared, but…she shook herself out of it. How dare Diamond try to put this idea into her head! She wasn't going to fall for this shit. "Maybe someone who isn't as psychotic as you are?" She countered her voice hard. Diamond's eyes narrowed in a way that she had only seen once, and that was a month ago when she had told him no for the umpteenth time. The time where he had told her that she was going to regret it. Her body tensed with fear as he moved with speed to cover her body with his own. Pinning her to the mattress.

"I'm not psychotic," he hissed into her ear. "Your last boyfriend, _Alan_ , was psychotic." She tensed underneath him. "Oh, you didn't think I'd keep tabs on you while you were in the States? Of course, I would. I needed to know what you were up to, and I was shocked to see you were dating someone. But only for a few months, then there was a hospital stay and shortly after a rehab stay…" he clucked his tongue. "Obviously going away didn't do you much good, did it?" She glared at him and tried to buck him off of her, but he only laughed. "I have to wonder though, Serenity, does Endymion Chiba know about what happened to you three years ago?"

She froze. How did he know that that was where she had been staying for the last month? That she even knew him? Or was it all just a test? She didn't know how to answer, but her silence was enough for Diamond. "Ah, so I _was_ right about where you've been for the last month. The question I have though, is how do you even know him? You know he's just another power hungry CEO looking to buy more companies."

"He knows my father," she replied. "He was there when you called him to tell him of your plan. So he offered to keep me safe."

"Hm…your father…" he let out a chuckle. "Such a helpful man, don't you think? He was the one who trained me, who I looked up to and who made me realize that the feelings I had for you could be something more. He wished it remember? And then you left and I couldn't deal with you being gone so long, so…" he trailed off with a knowing look in his eyes.

"So what?" Serenity couldn't help herself. What did he mean that he couldn't deal with her being gone so long? What had this moron done? "What did you do?" Anger laced her voice. Had he messed with her family? With the man who had raised him like a son?

"Well, Serenity, your father was very lonely. Your mother had been dead for a long time by the time you left, so we hung out a few times with some _female_ companionship and I didn't know how easily addicted he could get. He started spending more time with these women, letting his responsibilities to the company slide and then there were the drugs." He shook his head in shame. "I went to the board voicing my concerns, and they were very considerate of them and my suggestion that you should be brought in to take over."

Serenity's eyes widened as she realized that Diamond had been pulling everyone's strings since she had left for school. He was the reason that her father had gotten addicted to drugs and those female escorts. He was the reason that she had been brought in to take over. Not because she had learned this business on her father's knee, but because Diamond had suggested it. And by suggested she knew that he meant threatened. Again, Serenity wondered why she hadn't listened to Endymion. He had been right about him and she had been so, so stupid…

"And he's still being useful now," Diamond said. "This room is all thanks to him. Looks familiar, right? Like his study at the house? Well, he did design it to look like this, but it was mostly a spot where he could have some fun with his companions without anyone knowing that he wasn't working."

"What?" She asked feeling exasperated.

"This room is located behind the bookcase in your office," he replied and smiled, which caused her to shudder. That smile wasn't natural. It was pure evil. He was enjoying this. Enjoying the fact that no one but himself and her father knew that this room was here. Endymion was never going to find her. She was going to be at this mad man's whim forever. God forbid he found out that she had been with him…

"Now, let's talk about Endymion, shall we?" Diamond asked as he lifted something from the bedside table. Serenity's eyes widened when she realized that it was a knife. "Be honest, Serenity, because I would hate to mark up your beautiful face…"

 _Help_ , she thought as she braced herself to answer his questions. _Endymion, please, help me_ …

* * *

Endymion felt absolutely sick. A pit had opened in his stomach and wouldn't let him rest, ever since he had found Serenity's room empty. She had left, even though she had told him that she wouldn't. But what was really stupid was that he had known better than to leave her alone, but he had thought that she was safe locked in her room. He had forgotten about that stupid balcony. As many times as he had been in that room over the last month, why hadn't he remembered? Better yet, why hadn't he used his money and influence on the board of directors of Serenity's company to delay the meeting? To cancel it even?

Well…he had. That was the first thing he had tried after he had gotten off the phone with Sapphire. He had called Andrew, Hotaru, and Haruka, and they had told him that as much as they wanted to help him, they couldn't. Diamond had something over their heads that no amount of money could fix. They were under his thumb, until he decided that he didn't need them anymore. Until he had Serenity. He sighed wishing that the helicopter could go faster. Every second wasted was another second that Serenity was slipping from his grasp. With Diamond. _This is all my fault,_ he thought. If he had tried harder to stop this meeting from happening then she wouldn't be in Diamond's clutches. If he had left Serenity alone instead of keeping her prisoner in his mansion then…what? A small voice in his head asked. _Then she would have ended up in Diamond's clutches sooner. He was determined to get her. You did her a favor by keeping her in your mansion._ But it hadn't worked, had it? The pessimistic voice in his head rang in. She was still in his clutches and that bastard was doing who knows what to her? All because…

"Endymion," Zoicite's voice crackled over the headphones, the only way any of them could hear over the loud whining of the chopper blades cutting through the air. "Whatever you're thinking, stop it. This isn't your fault."

"Isn't it?" He countered back. "I was stupid in locking her in there when I _knew_ how desperate she was to get to that meeting. I should have known that she would get crafty."

"It doesn't matter now, Endymion," Kunzite cut in. "You can blame yourself all you want, but that's not going to help us find her."

"I know," he whispered as he looked on into the night sky. His friends were right. He needed to put this self-shame aside. It wouldn't help him find Serenity. And he _was_ going to find her. No matter what.

The helicopter started descending and he held his breath. They were almost there. _Hang on, Serenity,_ he thought. _I'm coming for you._

* * *

Serenity's breath hitched as he continued to trace her cheek with the blunt end of the knife. _What was it with the crazy men in my life and knifes?_ She couldn't help but think slightly hysterical as he continued his ministrations.

"So tell me about Endymion Chiba," he said. "You've been living with him for over a month and yet you still think _I'm_ the psychopath?"

"I already told you. Endymion, my father, and I had a meeting. Endymion wanted my company. I told him no. My father, after your phone call, was concerned for my safety so he requested I'd stay with him until…"

"Until it was safe and I was no longer a threat," he interrupted her and laughed. "But _I'm_ not a threat! Your father had you stay with the threat. A true monster."

"What are you talking about?" Serenity finally broke. She had been like this for what felt like hours and he kept hinting at Endymion being crazier than he was. She was done with the mysteries. She wanted answers.

"Ah, finally curious, love? Not to worry, I'll tell you. I know of Endymion Chiba because of Chiba Corporation. Back when his father was in charge, he approached my father about buying his company and he refused. He told me that Chibas were heartless creatures. When I took over, Chiba was being primed to take over and then his father died. That's when the rumors began to swirl. Endymion Chiba was a ruthless businessman pushing boundaries his father didn't dare to. CEO's were going missing; the bodies were starting to pile up. And then there were his female companions. Women that had been with him were traumatized. His last three girlfriends are in asylums or rehab. They literally went crazy because of him. Because of his bloodlust not only in the boardroom but in the bedroom as well."

Diamond sat back watching as doubt then fear then anger passed through her eyes. She had known about Endymion's ruthlessness in the boardroom. She had heard about the missing CEO's, but the body count? The girlfriends? That was new information. The body count was unnerving, but not too surprising. The girlfriends…well…considering what she knew about his needs in between the sheets it wasn't too surprising that they had run. His desires weren't everyone's cup of tea. But as much as she knew that this information should scare her, like Diamond hoped it would, it didn't. She was just angry that it was _Diamond_ who was telling her this. As leverage. _Asshole_ , she thought but regretted it.

Her face had been open while she was thinking about this and Diamond was able to read everything that crossed it. Including her blasé reaction to Endymion's sexual appetite.

He was not happy with that because he knew instantly what it meant. He leaned forward his face inches from hers. "You let him touch you?" He seethed. She didn't respond knowing he wouldn't hear her anyway. He was too far-gone in his delusion. "Oh, Serenity…what am I going to do with you? You were supposed to be pure, but you have tainted yourself." He sighed.

Serenity watched him with wary eyes. This could _not_ be a good sign. The way he looked at her reminded her of the way Alan had looked at her the night she told him she loved him. _Oh hell_ …

"Very well. Since you've let others have you, then I guess it's my turn. To take what was rightfully mine to begin with." He lowered his lips and kissed her forcefully.

* * *

Lita waited for Endymion Chiba and his coworkers – friends? – at the elevator. A pit in her stomach had been eating her alive ever since she had pulled up to Serenity's office building and waited for her friend to come out. As the minutes and then hours ticked by and her friend still didn't come out, she knew that she had made a huge mistake by allowing her to go to this meeting without her.

Lita was a black belt in karate. Serenity trusted her, and yet…she hadn't taken her with her. She had to do this by herself. Sometimes Serenity's stubbornness got her into huge heaps of trouble. And this time was no exception. If anything, it was worse than any other time before. Even worse than what her friend had gotten into her first year of college? It was possible. She gnawed helplessly on her thumbnail, something she only did when she was nervous, and waited for the numbers on top of the elevator to light up. She didn't know how long she had been waiting here, but it was getting agonizing. Endymion said he would get here as fast as he could, but it was rush hour and from what she remembered about the drive to his house that morning it was at least an hour out of the city without traffic. She looked up nervously at the elevator again, and saw the numbers light up. The number from the roof.

 _Could it be?_ She thought to herself. The numbers to each floor continued to light up, until finally, the number to Serenity's office lit up. She could hear the elevator car come to a stop on the other side of the doors. She waited and the doors opened, revealing a tall man with raven black hair, one of the men she saw a month ago when Serenity left, a man with auburn hair, and… Lita felt her heart skip a beat in her chest as her eyes met those of the final man standing in the elevator. Brown eyes that reminded her of melted chocolate, brown hair, and a mouth that could… she snapped herself out of it. It wouldn't do to ogle this man when her best friend's life was in peril. Although, she thought as she looked at him from the corner of her eye, he was doing the same thing to her.

"Lita?" The raven-haired man asked her as he stepped off the elevator, his entourage behind him.

"Yes," she replied.

"I'm Endymion Chiba," he said. "This is Kunzite, Zoicite, and Nephrite. Have you been to her office yet?"

"No, I was waiting for you guys to show up. I didn't want to mess anything up, because I don't know what I'm looking for." She followed as he walked with a quick pace past her and down the hall that led to Serenity's office. She fell back between Zoicite and Nephrite. The group was quiet as they continued to walk, and Lita was trying very hard not to stare back at the one Endymion had called Nephrite. She had never seen a man who looked like _that_. Most men she met reminded her of an ex-boyfriend that she had before she had moved to Tokyo. This one didn't.

"Mina," the one named Kunzite seemed to mutter. "She should be here."

"I can't stop, Kunz," Endymion replied with a sympathetic look to his friend. "I've lost too much time already." He moved towards Serenity's office door while Kunzite stayed behind at Mina's desk. Lita frowned. It was curious. Mina should have been at the desk unless she had gone home, but her purse was still underneath the desk. She was still in the building. She moved towards the desk looking for any clues to where the blonde could be, when she heard a thumping sound.

"Did you hear that?" She asked out loud. The two men, Kunzite and Nephrite, looked at her questioning, they hadn't heard what she had. She cocked her head to the side to see if she could hear it again. Silence. She was just about to give up and continue rustling through the papers on the desk when she heard the thumping again. "There!" She exclaimed and looked behind her. It sounded like it had come from the supply closet. She walked over and tried to open the doors, but they were locked. The thumping sound came again, and Lita could feel someone on the other side hit the doors.

"She's in there," she said calling to the two men. Kunzite came over and tried the doors, but they didn't open for him either. He looked over to her and then back to the door.

"I can open it," he replied. "Nephrite, move her," he said to his friend. The brunette came over and pulled Lita to the side. She ignored the spark that went up her arm at the contact to try and focus on what the platinum blonde haired man was up to. From what she could see he approached the doors and grabbed onto the handles, but this time the muscles in his arms bulged as he yanked them open. Lita frowned. How was he able to do that? It was almost like he 'hulked' out or something… She shook her head, knowing that there would be plenty of time to ask questions later as Kunzite reached into the supply closet and pulled out a trembling blonde.

"Mina, are you okay?" She asked moving forward. The blonde nodded, her eyes full of tears. Mina had always had a small problem with claustrophobia and who knew how long she had been in that cramped space? Lita patted the girl lightly on the arm. "It's okay, now. We've got you."

"We'll have to leave her here and see what Endymion has found," Nephrite said as he came up to them.

"I can't leave her," Kunzite muttered looking down at Mina. She had started to tremble. "She's in no shape to be left by herself."

"Well, you could always bring her…" Lita trailed off when Nephrite sent her a withering look. _Or not_ , she thought backing up.

"Fine," the brunette sighed. "Take her back to the mansion. I'll tell Endymion about what happened."

"What did happen?" Lita asked. "Mina?"

"You don't have to answer her," Kunzite said sending her a glare. She only rolled her eyes. She wasn't really popular with these guys today was she? But what did it matter? Mina was the only one who had been there, who had seen Diamond. Maybe she knew what he was up to. Where he had taken Serenity?

"No, it's okay, Kunzite," Mina replied softly. "I was sitting at my desk waiting for Serenity to get back from her meeting, when Diamond showed up. I told him that he wasn't allowed to see her, and to leave before I called security when he rushed me. He put his hand over my mouth and squeezed. I lost consciousness, and when I woke up I was in the supply closet. I'm sorry, that's all I know."

"Don't be, sweetie," Lita replied. "It's enough." She backed away from Kunzite as he supported Mina back towards the elevator. So Mina really hadn't seen anything. Diamond had taken care of her before he had gone into Serenity's office. So Serenity really could be anywhere by now. Unless…she trailed off looking up to the ceiling where she spotted a familiar black ball.

"Lita?" Nephrite asked watching her.

"We need to know what time Diamond hauled Serenity out of here. And how he hauled her out of here…" she trailed off staring at the ball in the sky.

"Yes, that would be helpful, but how do you suppose we find this out?"

"Cameras," Lita pointed. "I just have to go down to security and see what they can pull up." She turned to go, when Nephrite pushed past her to get to Mina's desk. He sat down in her chair and started doing something on the computer there. She wandered over and peered over his shoulder at the screen. "What are you doing?"

"All the computers in this building are on the same network," he explained. "So I'm hacking into the security's files to see if I can find those video files."

"Oh," she said. "Nice plan."

He turned to her with a smile. "You thought of it first."

She returned his smile as he went back to looking at the screen. "So I did," she murmured.

* * *

There was a snake's tongue in her mouth. It was cold and foreign, and it was probing outward as if trying to sense whether or not it's presence was welcome. _So not_ , she thought disgustedly. A shiver of displeasure was creeping down her spine and she felt like she was about to vomit. Diamond's tongue was in her mouth, his body pressing hers into the mattress. She could feel his arousal pressing against her and she was _not_ aroused by it like he thought she should be. He wanted to claim what was rightfully his, but the thing was she wasn't his! She had to get out of this situation. She had to run. She had to make a break for it. If only she knew how to get out of this room!

Diamond's lips left hers. He was smiling as his eyes brewed with many years of lust. His fingers undid the buttons of not only her blazer but her blouse as well with ease. They lingered for a second on her bare skin, his eyes getting brighter as they drank in her milky flesh. "So beautiful," he muttered. His smile turned to a frown though as he came across her pants. He lowered himself further down as he tried to undo the button and zipper. Serenity got an idea.

"You couldn't be like a normal woman and wear a nice skirt," he grumbled. "Well, as soon as we're done, that's all you'll be able to wear." As he leaned back further to see what was going on with these pants – he didn't realize that there was a triple button snap – Serenity made her move. She lifted her legs and pressed her stiletto-clad feet against Diamond's chest. He watched all of this amused, until she pushed with all her strength. Since Diamond was precariously balanced on his knees, the slight shift in momentum messed up his balance and sent him reeling backwards off the bed. A huge _whack_ sound came before he hit the ground and she wondered briefly if he had hit his head on the bed frame before he had hit.

She shook her head knowing that she didn't have a lot of time. Even if he had hit his head, he was going to be _pissed_ so she had to move. She leapt off the bed, slipping off her stilettos, and ran as fast as she could. It didn't take her long to hear the sound of his footfalls behind her, she picked up the pace but she knew she wasn't going to be fast enough. He was taller than she was, meaning his legs covered more distance than hers. He was going to catch her, and this time she wouldn't be so lucky with the foreplay. He would rip her clothes and enter her whether she wanted him to or not. She threw down her shoes, knowing that they would only slow her down and tried to increase the pace. But he was on her. His footsteps directly behind her. He grabbed her from behind the added weight throwing off her momentum of the run. She pitched forward, but because he was still holding her there was a popping sound as she hit the ground painfully. She couldn't feel her left arm as Diamond pressed into her back.

"You thought you could get away that easily?" He seethed into her ear. "I don't think so. I've waited too long for this." He let go of her as he stood up. He leaned down and turned her over, staring at her with furious purple eyes. She held her left arm protectively against her chest, knowing that somehow that something had happened to her shoulder during the fall. He frowned as he took this in. He took her arm and she cried out in pain. "What did you do to your arm?" He asked and then moved the arm upwards, she winced again the pain unbelievable. He only smiled as he put the arm down on the ground beside her torso.

"It looks like you separated your shoulder," he said. "But then again, I'm not a doctor, so you might have fractured your arm. The only way we'll know is if I make a clean break…" She could only look at him in question, not fully understanding what he was talking about. It wasn't until he stood up and placed his foot on her arm that understanding dawned. Before she could scream he stepped down, placing all his weight on the arm. There was a sickening crack, a ridiculous amount of pain that blinded her and then she lost consciousness.

* * *

Endymion had been searching for twenty minutes, but couldn't find anything. There were stacks of papers on Serenity's desk that looked important, but they hadn't been touched. There was a cup of coffee sitting next to the stack that had long gone cold and looked like it had barely been touched. There was no sign that Serenity had even been in this room. Zoicite stood in the doorway watching and keeping out of his friend's way, but Endymion knew that he didn't know what else to do. There was no sign of her.

Diamond had taken her without leaving a trace. "This was a waste of time," he said and slumped into Serenity's office chair. "She's long gone and I have no idea where he would take her." His friend came into the room and looked around. Noticing the cup of coffee he came closer.

"Serenity is usually a coffee drinker," he muttered to himself. "And yet the cup is barely touched." He lifted the cup and sniffed its contents. He frowned some more.

"Zoicite?"

"It doesn't smell like a usual cup of coffee even if she added sugar and creamer…" he trailed off and stuck his finger into the cup. He lifted and took a taste. "Sleeping draught."

"Sleeping draught?" Endymion asked confused. "Are we in a fantasy novel?"

"He's using old school means, but yes, they still make sleeping draughts."

"So that would explain why she went quietly. She was asleep," he ran his hand through his hair frustrated. If Diamond had drugged her then she wouldn't have protested, but people still would have questioned why he was taking their boss unconscious. Would he have been able to take her out to the elevator and walk out the front door? He didn't know.

"Endymion!" Nephrite called from the other room. He walked out and went to see Nephrite and Serenity's friend Lita looking at a computer screen. "We think we found something."

"What? Like what time she left the building so that way I have an idea of how far of a head start they have?" He grumbled.

"Something better," Lita replied with a small smile. "Take a look." Curious he leaned forward and Nephrite pressed the play button. On the screen it was an aerial view of the very area they were in. He saw Mina working on the very computer he was watching this on. She looked distracted and then she stood up in anger. Diamond walked into the frame, something was discussed before he rushed the woman and had her in a stranglehold. The woman seemed to slump forward and Diamond took her out of frame.

"Is she okay?" Endymion asked.

"Yeah," Nephrite replied. "Lita found her in the supply closet and Kunzite took her back to the mansion."

"Okay," he continued to watch the screen. Diamond came back and walked into Serenity's office. Ten minutes later Serenity walked by Mina's desk and into her office. Nephrite pressed another button and the images went by a few screens faster. It kept going until they reached the current time. "What was that?" He asked as he turned back to the two.

"That was all the security footage from this hallway," Nephrite replied.

"Okay? So?"

"You see Serenity enter her office, right?"

"Yeah?"

"But you never see her leave," Lita pointed out. "She's still in the office somewhere."

"What?" Endymion asked as the reality came crashing down on him. "How is that possible? She's not in there!"

"But that door is the only entrance in and out of that office. We didn't see her or Diamond leave. She's still in there."

"But…" he trailed off wondering how that could be when he thought of something. His mansion had secret passageways and he knew most of them. Was it possible that Serenity's office, her father's previous office, had one too? He frowned as he walked back into the office and looked around for something that would suggest such a thing was possible. Zoicite was over by the bookcases skimming the spines.

"Did they find something?" He asked without looking up at Endymion's entrance.

"Serenity and Diamond never left the office. They're still here."

"But she's not."

"I know, but you know the mansion has hidden passages, what if…"

"Serenity's father put one into this office?" Zoicite frowned as he walked to the first bookcase. He found a book and tipped the spine forward. A whirring sound came from the bookcase next to him and it slowly began to open.

Endymion stared. "How did you -?"

Zoicite shrugged. "This book was different than the others, I went with a hunch."

 _A hunch,_ Endymion thought bemused. "Nephrite! Lita!" He exclaimed as a tunnel was revealed. The two brunettes ran into the room and stared at the tunnel. "I think we figured out where they went. Let's go."

* * *

When Serenity came back to consciousness her left side was numb and Diamond was sitting on top of her, the knife from earlier in his hand. He smiled when he saw her eyes open. "It took you long enough," he said with a feral grin. "It's amazing how even though I broke your arm, you were still able to come back to consciousness so quickly. But then again you're used to abuse, aren't you Serenity?" She didn't answer him, knowing that it didn't matter what she said. She had angered him, something that you weren't supposed to do to psychopaths.

"So I see this is the only way we can be together," he replied. "It hurts me to do this, Sere, but you won't have me any other way, and I can't let you go back to that beast Chiba. Forgive me." He lifted the knife and plunged it downwards. It barely went two inches before Serenity bucked him off of her. He rolled to her side as she plucked the knife out of her skin. Her red blouse began to darken in color as she struggled to sit up and crawl away from Diamond. The knife was pointed in defense in front of her, warding him off. He watched all of this with an amused expression.

"You really think you can fight me? In your condition?" He asked with a laugh.

"Don't underestimate me, Diamond," she rasped the pain from her left side coming back.

He stood up. "Oh, I won't, but there's only so long this can go on, Serenity. Eventually you're going to bleed out or the pain in your arm is going to come back… I can do this all day, love."

She frowned as she realized that he was right. The cut may have not been that deep but it was still bleeding and with the pain in her arm…he would out last her and when she lost consciousness… Well, she would probably be at his mercy, again. _No_ , she thought. She was going to fight. She would get out of here…right?

"Serenity!" A voice she had come to know all too well echoed. She smiled as she recognized that Endymion had done the impossible. He was coming for her.

"No!" Diamond exclaimed as he realized that his plan was about to fail. "How did he find you?!" Steps echoed down the hallway and he looked at her for a moment before taking off himself. Serenity smiled as he ran off and unconsciousness beckoned again.

* * *

Endymion rounded a corner and his heart leapt into his throat. Sprawled out onto the floor was Serenity. Her clothes were astray just like in his nightmare and she was unconscious and bleeding. _Please God, no_ , he thought and rushed forward. He felt Zoicite stop beside him, while Nephrite and Lita took off down the tunnel after Diamond he supposed. He dropped down to the ground and pulled her head into his lap.

"C'mon, Serenity, baby, please don't be dead. Please, baby," he said and pushed the hair back from her face. There was a gash in her stomach and a knife next to her. She hadn't tried to-?

"Why do men always call women baby? I have to tell you I don't like the term of endearment," she croaked out as her eyes opened and looked into his.

He felt relief overwhelm him. "Oh, thank god." He slumped over and kissed her lips quickly. "What were you thinking? I told you to stay at the mansion and you didn't listen to me!"

She winced. "Seriously? I'm injured and you're going to yell at me? Dude, so not cool." He opened his mouth to say something, but he realized that she was right. She was injured and he needed to know what happened.

"What happened?" He asked and she told him everything as Zoicite took a look over her wounds. When she was done, he held her gingerly to his chest. He would be damned if he let go of her again.

"Okay," Zoicite broke the silence between the two of them. "The stab wound is the least of your injuries. I'm afraid the worst is your arm. So, I'm going to reset your shoulder before I take care of the arm, considering your history…"

"Her history?" Endymion asked and looked down at Serenity who had winced. "What is he talking about?"

"So you really didn't tell him, eh, Zoicite?" She mumbled. "Trust me, Endymion I'll tell you everything later, but first…" she nodded to her shoulder. Zoicite nodded and reached up…

 _Four times,_ she thought to herself, as there was a burst of pain _has to be some sort of record_ as the blackness claimed her.

* * *

It wasn't four times that Serenity lost consciousness; it was more like five or six. But these two times were different. The first time she woke up, she was back on a bed, but there was a warm body next to hers. With a few deep inhales she recognized the scent. Endymion was wound protectively against her. She fell back asleep with a smile on her face. The second time she woke up it was to his voice. He sounded concerned as he whispered with another person.

"She should have woken up by now," he seemed to say.

"Give it time, Endymion," the other person replied. "Her body has been through a lot. She needs time to heal. She'll wake up when she's ready." They said some more things, but she had drifted off again.

Serenity finally woke up without feeling like she was going to go back asleep because of a bright light. She opened up her eyes and squinted at a pinkish light. At first, she thought it was the sunrise, or maybe the sunset since she didn't know what time it actually was, but as she looked, she realized that it was a rose. It was a red rose that was underneath glass. There were petals underneath it and as she watched another one fell. _A rose that glows pink_ , she thought to herself. _Obviously I'm still on drugs_ … she trailed off as she realized that the rose wasn't hers. It was sitting on a black dresser. She didn't have a black dresser. She looked around feeling a little anxious about not knowing where she was, when she saw a familiar shape.

Endymion. His back was turned towards her as he looked out the window. So she was back in the mansion. Just not in her room. Why had Endymion taken her to his room? Was he really that concerned about her? _"C'mon, Serenity, baby, please don't be dead. Please, baby," he said and pushed the hair back from her face._ The memory played in her head. His voice had sounded concerned. He had called her baby. _Huh_ , she thought as she tried to sit up, but couldn't without hissing in pain.

That drew Endymion's attention as he turned around. Their eyes met and she could read in his eyes how worried he was. A little bit of relief crept in as he moved forward to help her sit up. "Careful," he said his voice soft. "You're still recovering from your injuries." His touch was gentle; as he made sure that she was settled comfortably.

"So how bad is it?" She asked.

"Stitches on your stomach," he replied. "Your left shoulder was separated, but Zoicite popped it back in while we were still at your office. Your left arm is broken." He nodded down to her cast. "It should be healed in about three or four weeks."

"Oh," she whispered as she looked down at the plaster that encased her arm. She knew that it had been bad, but she didn't realize how bad. She looked at Endymion as he stared at a spot on the floor. She remembered that before she had lost consciousness at the office, he had asked about what Zoicite had meant by her history and she had promised to tell him everything latter. Was he waiting for her to tell him?

"What were you thinking, Serenity?" He asked, his eyes finally meeting hers. "I told you that Diamond was dangerous, that he was using that board meeting as a trap. But yet, you still went and I almost lost you."

She could hear the meaning behind those last few words. Somewhere in the last month, Endymion had started to care for her and it had taken her until now to realize it. "I told you, it was my company. I had to fight for it. It was stupid and I didn't realize how far gone Diamond has become but…" she trailed off remembering the look in his eyes when he brought the knife down to stab her. "Now, I do. Did you catch him?"

"No," he said gruffly. "Lita and Nephrite lost him somewhere in the tunnel. He's still out there, Serenity." His eyes locked onto hers again and she saw the pain there and the questions he wanted to ask, but didn't know if she would be up to answering them. "Serenity, I…"

"You want to ask me about what Zoicite meant before he popped my shoulder back into place," she finished for him.

"Yes."

She sighed. "When you ordered that background check on me, Zoicite found something and he discussed it with me. There was a stay at a hospital and a rehab facility that he wanted to ask me about. I told him and he promised that he would try and not tell you."

"The hospital stay from when you were eighteen? You were there because you broke your leg doing laundry?" He asked curious.

"That's the story that Zoicite told you, but that isn't the truth. Well, at least, not the _whole_ truth. It's not a pretty story that I'm about to tell you. Freshman year of college I met this guy named Alan Sterling."

"Your last boyfriend," Endymion replied with a nod. "What about him?"

"Boyfriend," she chuckled darkly. "That's not exactly what we were, but I'm jumping ahead of myself. Alan and I had a class together – British Lit – that's how we met. He always had interesting opinions about the books we were reading in class and when I would contribute to the discussion and someone else in the class would rebuff me, he would always take my side. We went out a few times and it wasn't until our fourth date that he took me back to his place."

"Serenity, I really don't need to hear about - "

"Shush, Endymion. Let me continue. You were always wondering why I'm so okay with the things that we do together in bed? He's the reason why. I'd seen and done all that before with him. Only he was a lot more twisted than that. He wasn't into relationships. He was into the whole BDSM thing, and I stupidly agreed to participate with him. While we were together I belonged to him and had to do everything he said. Despite everything, I found myself falling for him, and I told him. He didn't take too kindly to finding out. Said I screwed up everything that we had going on and he made sure that I knew how big of a mistake I made. I don't remember what happened all that well, not until I woke up in the hospital and Raye was there."

"Raye?" He whispered.

"Your sister and I were roommates freshman year, that's how we met, and the person who found me called her. She told me that I was in the hospital with a broken leg and several bruises. I was traumatized and couldn't believe that Alan would do something like that. I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to ask him about it, but he stopped showing up to class. I never saw him around campus again. I was broken and empty and I didn't know how to fill the void. So I started doing drugs and just like my father I became addicted. I didn't think it was that bad, but Raye was always concerned. Apparently, I stayed up all night, I didn't like to sleep because of the nightmares and I didn't care. Until it was almost too late. Raye found me on the floor one night, completely passed out. She couldn't wake me up, so she took me to the hospital. They pumped my stomach and ordered me to a thirty-day rehabilitation facility. I haven't touched any drugs since."

There was silence as she finished her story and she finally got the courage to look Endymion in the eye. But he wasn't sitting on the edge of the bed anymore. He was standing and looking at her in horror.

When their eyes met he walked out of the room without a word.


	8. Chapter 7: The Next Move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Sailor Moon. I don't own Beauty and the Beast. I don't own the song "Broken Arrows" by Daughtry. This story is rated M for a reason, but it's only because of language and violence in this chapter. Enjoy!

_Hey, show me one man that's never made a mistake_   
_And I'll pay all of my time and every dime I made_   
_But today_   
_The best of intentions I lay at your feet_   
_And I need you to see past the worst part of me_   
_I'm tired of taking my aim_   
_When I keep on missing_   
_There's gotta be a better way_   
_Gotta be a better way_   
_And every little word I say keeps getting twisted_   
_Or coming out wrong so baby hold on_   
_I'm trying to hit the mark_   
_But I'm shooting with broken arrows_

_~Broken Arrows ~Daughtry_

* * *

Endymion didn't remember leaving the room. He remembered listening to Serenity's story about what had _really_ happened during her freshman year of college and why she had been in the hospital, but eventually everything had faded to white noise. When she had told him about Alan, and what kind of relationship they had been involved in, the white noise had started. Alan was into BDSM. He had made Serenity become his plaything. Every whim, every request she had to carry out, and because she had dared to love him, he had beaten her to a bloody pulp. His mouth had gone dry when he heard that part come out of Serenity's lips. She had fallen in love with that man. She had fallen in love with a monster.

This bit of news should have made Endymion's night. If she did it once, she could do it again, right? But instead of bringing a smile to his lips he was sickened. With himself. All those things that he had made Serenity do in the bedroom, things he thought she was willingly up for…what if she hadn't been? What if it brought back memories of that time with that man? But why hadn't she said anything? Why had she let him go on for so long without saying a word? Obviously something like that had to have affected her, but she had gone along with his every whim. Maybe she had gotten over it? It had been three years ago, around the time that he had been cursed… Fate sure had a sick sense of humor.

Raye was coming up the stairs just as he was going down them, and with one look she knew something was wrong. "Endymion?" She asked, freezing on a stair. He turned to look at her, anger finally starting to show in his veins.

"Get Zoicite, and meet me in my study," he growled and continued on his way not caring that he could feel his sister's stare on his back. They both had known what had been going on with Serenity. They should have told him! Maybe then he would still have a chance with her, maybe then this curse might have had a chance of being broken. All of that was gone now. Serenity couldn't love him, not when he was too much like the man who had left her for dead.

He slumped into his office chair, the fresh bottle of bourbon sitting on his desk just waiting to be opened. He desperately wanted a drink, but he needed to keep his wits about him when he confronted his friend and sister. He needed…well, he needed a lot of things, and even though he wanted to keep his wits about him he desperately needed a drink. Caving into temptation he opened the bottle and poured a little into the glass tumbler. He sipped slowly, hoping that just the taste would ease his worries. But it didn't, it only seemed to escalate them and make him thirstier. Serena had been a submissive. Serenity had fallen in love with her dominant. Her dominant had left her for dead. Serenity had taken to drugs to ease the pain. She had almost died from an overdose. The thoughts kept swirling in his brain. If she had been in that kind of relationship and almost died from it, how come she didn't speak up to him sooner when they had entered into their relationship? True, what they had wasn't nearly as bad as a dom/sub, but still…the things he had done to her? How had she not run screaming from his mansion?

A knock sounded on his door. "Come in," he called out. The door swung open revealing his sister and his friend. They walked in with nervous looks on their faces before closing the door behind them. They warily took seats in front of his desk. He poured himself another drink, took a sip and then said. "You both lied to me."

Raye and Zoicite exchanged looks not sure what to say. They had noticed Endymion's dark demeanor when they had walked in, but they weren't sure what it was about. Raye had walked by Endymion's room to check on Serenity before she went to grab Zoicite and found her friend awake. She looked confused and on the verge of tears. What had they talked about? Unless…

"Oh, no," she whispered and met her brother's gaze. It was there in his eyes. He knew the truth about what happened to Serenity during her freshman year of college. "Why did she tell you?" She asked.

"Because I asked," he replied. "Because no one else in this room decided to tell me the truth!" He started yelling this last part, his anger finally getting the better of him again. Of course, he was angrier with his friend than his sister. His sister had only asked about the curse, Endymion had never asked her about Serenity. While Zoicite, on the other hand, had been asked to do a full background check on her. He had lied when he came back with the information. Falling down the stairs doing laundry. Right. "So why did you lie, Zoicite? Why didn't you think that her past was something I would be interested in?"

Zoicite sighed. "Because, Endymion, she really needed to tell you this story herself. It was her past that you were asking about. She should be the one to tell you. I'm sorry I lied, but the better question is why didn't she tell you sooner? Especially if you…" he trailed off catching himself.

"Especially if I what?" Endymion countered, sensing he knew where this was going.

"Especially if you love her."

Raye gasped at this information and switched her gaze back and forth between the two men. Her brother had fallen for Serenity? How come she hadn't noticed? He was her brother, she would know if he were in love! She looked at her brother, scrutinizing over every detail of his face. It was impassive, as if the revelation that Zoicite had just thrown down wasn't news to him. So he was in love with Serenity then? When did this happen?

"Yes, Raye, before you bore a whole into my brain with your gaze, I've fallen for Serenity. It's hard not to, she's an amazing person. But this news about her past changes everything."

"How?" Raye countered. "You know about her past now, that means she _trusts_ you. She wouldn't have told you if she didn't."

"Yes, she told me the truth, but do you realize what that truth means? The things that Serenity and I have been doing? The dark desires that I have, the whole reason I was cursed? It's exactly like the relationship she had with that…man. Why would she want to be in a relationship like that again? Last time she was almost killed."

Raye sighed understanding finally why her brother was so mad about finding out the truth. He thought that because of Serenity's past that she wouldn't be able to love him. That she would be scared that he would hurt her just like Alan had if she even tried to admit her feelings for him. "Endymion, brother, do you honestly think that Serenity would have done those things with you, if you reminded her of Alan?" She countered. "She would have run out of this house screaming. So don't for a second think that because of her past, she won't be able to feel something for you."

Endymion shook his head. His sister didn't get it. Serenity would never be able to fall for him. She was too damaged. The curse would never be broken, even though he had finally fallen for someone. "Leave me," he replied turning his back towards the two. He nursed his drink and waited for his friend and sister to leave him to his darkness.

* * *

Serenity was staring at the ceiling. She had memorized the lines the paintbrush had left and had moved on to the crystals on the small chandelier. Any other time she would have taken advantage of her situation. She was in Endymion's bedroom. _Alone_. When would she ever get that opportunity again? Especially with him… _Nope._ She instantly put the brakes on that train of thought. She didn't know why he was acting this way or even if he was acting a certain way and she didn't want to jump to conclusions. Besides Serenity was in too much pain. Her shoulder ached, her arm throbbed, and her stomach stitches were tight. She didn't want those to tear. So she was left to stare at the ceiling.

Which was dangerous. She was alone and her mind was running a million miles an hour. Diamond and his kidnapping. Endymion rescuing her. Telling him about her past and him leaving. Why had he left? Was he shocked? Appalled? And why did it matter so much to her? They were just screwing around. Making the best of a crappy situation. He just wanted her company to complete his empire.

_Please, no. Come on, Serenity. Please, baby…_ His words echoed in her head. He had sounded so concerned about her. If he were really only after her company, would he have said all of that? And if she _truly_ believed that they were just making the best of a crappy situation then why was her heart leaping at the words he had said as he clutched her body?

"Oh, God," she said out loud as she remembered how much she had begged for Endymion to rescue her from Diamond's clutches. "When did I fall for him?" She closed her eyes as her brain finally caught up to her heart. But a pinkish light invaded her vision. She opened her eyes and stared at the rose she had first spotted when she woke up. It was glowing pink.

She stared at it in shock. The rose was glowing! It had to be a trick of the light, right? She closed her eyes and opened them again, but it was still glowing. Why was it glowing? What kind of rose glowed? She kept staring until the glow faded. A petal fell after the glow diminished and it seemed to take on a grayish hue.

"And things keep getting weirder," she muttered as a knock interrupted her stare down with a plant. She turned to the door as it creaked open. Raye and Zoicite were standing at the threshold.

"Serenity," Raye said as she walked into the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore and bored," she replied.

"Well, I can do something about the first thing," Zoicite said with a smile as he tapped out a few pills from a bottle that he was carrying. She eyed them warily as he handed them to her along with a glass of water. "Don't worry, Sere, they're very low dose pain killers. It's Advil. No chance of getting addicted, I promise." She nodded and swallowed them with a sip of water.

"As for the second thing, how can I help?" Raye asked as she sat down one the edge of the bed.

"Well, you can tell me when I can move again."

"Not for the rest of the week," Zoicite replied. "Don't worry, Endymion understands and he'll be sleeping in his study until you're well."

Serenity bit her lip. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. "How…" she swallowed back the lump in her throat. "How is he doing?"

Raye and Zoicite exchanged a look. "He's…" Raye trailed off. "To be honest, he's been better. But he's coping in his way, so don't take him not being here personally."

"Not take it personally?" Serenity asked with a bitter laugh. "How can I not, Raye? He's in his study, coping after I told him about my past. Why exactly is he coping with that?"

"Because, he's coping about what the two of you had been doing. He feels that some of those…acts were reminiscent of what you and Alan had done."

"And what? He thinks that I think he's like Alan now? Are you kidding me? Doesn't he realize if I really thought he was _anything_ like Alan I wouldn't have let him do those things to me?" Serenity seethed. That _was_ seriously his issue with her past? Not that she had done those things? But that he didn't want to be like Alan? Didn't want to hurt her?

"That's what we tried to tell him, but he wouldn't exactly listen to us," Zoicite explained.

"Idiot," she whispered. "Send him up her so I can tell him. Maybe he'll listen to me."

"We'll try, but he might not listen," Raye got up from the bed, squeezed her hand and left the room with Zoicite in tow. As the door closed, she turned to him, excitement in her eyes.

"Do you realize what this means?" She whispered excitedly.

"What?" Zoicite asked confused to the raven-haired girl's excitement.

"You didn't see her react to Endymion's coping," she replied. "She's in love with him!"

"How can you be so sure? She was probably just pissed off that Endymion thought that he was as bad as Alan."

"You don't know her like I do, Zoi. That look on her face wasn't just indignation, it was affection. She's in love with him."

He paused on the stairs and looked at her with a mix of hope and wonder. "How can you be sure?"

"I told you, I know her…" she walked down the stairs. When he didn't follow her, she turned around and smiled. "The rose was glowing pink too, Zoi. Pink for love."

* * *

Later on that night, after Serenity finally found a comfortable position to fall asleep and Endymion had had half the bottle of bourbon, he stumbled into his room. After gaining his balance he looked to the bed and froze. There was a lump under his covers. A lump with blonde hair. _Oh, that's right_ , his muddled thoughts remembered. _She_ was going to be staying in his bed until the stitches were removed from her stomach. Well, that complicated things. He looked longingly at the bed and at the body within. How much he wanted to be in that bed curled around that body. But he couldn't because he was a monster. He was just like that man who had hurt her all those years ago. His salvation turned out to be damaged and couldn't possibly help him.

His gaze turned to the rose, the symbol of his curse. Another dark petal was at the bottom. He was running out of time and there was nothing he could do. He loved Serenity. He wouldn't pretend otherwise. But she could never love him. He sighed and looked back to the bed and the angel.

What could it hurt if he slept beside her one last night? Just as long as he was gone before she awoke. He walked to the other side of the bed, kicked off his shoes, stripped off his shirt and pants, and crawled into bed. He curled his body around Serenity's minding her injured arm.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear knowing that she wouldn't hear him since she was fast asleep. He closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds.

* * *

The group of ten sat in an awkward silence one morning a week later. The only sound was the tinking of forks on plates or spoons stirring in cups. The silence was palpable and usually wasn't this apparent. Since the incident with Diamond a lot of things had changed.

While searching for Diamond in the tunnel, Nephrite and Lita had found a chamber that resembled a true stalker's lair. There were pictures of Serenity _everywhere_. From when she was a child, her years at school, even those years she had been away in the States. The shocking thing was there were pictures of Serenity and Lita's house; surveillance photos. With a pained look Lita had taken them off the wall and felt for the first time since her parents' deaths, unsafe in where she lived. With a look between the photos and Lita, Nephrite made a decision. She was staying with them in Endymion's mansion. After what had happened to Mina, Kunzite was wary to let her out of his sight. So she was staying in the mansion too.

With these two new additions, the house was equal gender territory. Lita, being a wonder in the kitchen, had quickly taken over cooking from Amy Pots and the two, plus Mina and Raye had quickly become friends. When Serenity was allowed to actually leave the bed, she would join them and have a grand time.

With the new friendship, Amy was drawn out of the kitchen during meals and brought to the table where she sat between Zoicite and Lita. Serenity was amused with how quickly her friends paired off with the other men in the house and how well everyone in their little ninesome seemed to get along. There was just one person missing from the group and no one had seen him. He was always locking into his study. Except for this morning when he decided to join them. Hence why everyone was so quiet. He hadn't joined them over the week and that was something else that had changed. Serenity and Endymion weren't speaking.

They hadn't said a word to each other in over a week and no one knew what to do about it. Serenity wasn't talking about what was going on and Endymion… well, except for today, he had been in isolation. So the group was at a loss of what to do and ate their breakfast in silence.

* * *

After breakfast, Mina went back to the room that she shared with Kunzite. She had to escape the sexual tension that had been emanating off of that table in waves. It wasn't just from Serenity and Endymion either. It was from _everyone_. Raye and Jadeite, Lita and Nephrite, Amy and Zoicite, and even herself and Kunzite. She was trying to figure out why there was so much tension between the couples. Lita and Nephrite was obvious because they had only just met. Endymion and Serenity had their own problems ever since the incident with Diamond. But what was wrong with Amy and Zoicite and Raye and Jadeite? Then again, Mina had no room to talk.

Her and Kunzite were having their own problems and had been even before the incident. He was hiding something from her, and until he told her or got past whatever his problem was he refused to touch her. Well, he at least refused to touch her sexually. Every morning she woke up with him cocooned around her.

"Unbelievable," she sighed and collapsed into bed.

"What's unbelievable?" Kunzite asked from the doorway.

Mina sat up in shock before she plopped back down. "Nothing," she mumbled and stared at the ceiling. It was no use trying to get him to talk to her. She had tried already and he shut down like a virus-infected computer. Whatever it was he _really_ didn't want to talk about it.

"Mina," he sighed and tentatively sat down at the edge of the bed.

"What?" She asked and looked at him. He looked stressed. This was new. She leaned up on her elbows. "Kunzite? What's wrong?"

"I have to tell you something and I'm pretty sure once you know, you won't want anything to do with me."

"Does this having anything to do with what's been going on with you? What was going on at the table?"

"Yes."

"Okay," Mina replied, fully sitting up and turned her body towards him. "Tell me."

* * *

Lita was in the kitchen multitasking. She was washing the dishes from breakfast while at the same time planning dinner. After much pushing, she had convinced Amy to let her take over kitchen duties. It was the least she could do since she was living her rent-free. And all at Nephrite's request. Her heartbeat sped up slightly at the thought of him. She had been quite fascinated with him since she had seen him at Serenity's office. She didn't quite get why either.

Sure, he was attractive, and yeah, he reminded her of her ex-boyfriend, but still… Was it because he had seemed so concerned for her safety after they had found those photos of the house? Because that had been rather nice of him. He barely knew her, but if that was it then why had he been avoiding her ever since? He talked to her at meals, but if he saw her in the hall, he went the other way. What had she done?

She shook her head to clear her head of any thoughts dealing with _him_. There were more important things to think of. Her friend was still hurting from the Diamond attack and something was going on with her and Endymion. But she wouldn't say what, even though Lita and the other girls had tried to get her to talk about it. She should actually go and give that asshat CEO a piece of her mind. Just as she was putting a dish into the strainer she felt a presence behind her. She turned and started. There was the man she had been thinking about and his green eyes were staring at her – into her soul or at least that's what it felt like. Her mouth instantly went dry as they continued to stare at each other.

"Lita," he finally broke the silence and their staring contest. He came around the island and took a seat on one of the stools. "I was hoping to talk to you about something. Would you join me?" He patted the stool next to him.

Wordlessly she walked forward and took the seat. Once she was settled he began to speak again.

"You've probably been wondering why I've been being distant with you when it was my invitation that you came to live here. And the answer isn't quite as simple as I would like. So, please, be patient with me."

"All right," she replied hesitant.

"The reason I've been avoiding you is because ever since we met I felt this connection between us. Under normal circumstances I would act on it and ask you out, but these aren't normal circumstances. You see three years ago, a witch came to this house and cursed Endymion and as a result, me and the other guys as well."

"Cursed? How?"

"We were cursed to always succumb to our dark sides. Because of this curse we all have done some things, things that I'm not all that proud of."

"Okay…" Lita replied slowly not sure what to make of this. Either Nephrite was crazy or there was a shocking chance that all of this was true. "So, if there's a curse, then how is it broken?"

"Endymion has to find someone who loves him for what he is before his twenty-fifth birthday."

"When is his birthday?"

"In three months," Nephrite replied looking into her eyes again.

"That soon? Then who is the…" she trailed off as realization hit. "Oh."

"Yes. Serenity is the girl and something has happened that puts what we've been working for in jeopardy."

"Okay, but what does that have to do with you?"

He sighed as he pushed back a lock of her hair. "I want to act on my feelings for you, Lita, but I'm afraid of hurting you. The curse brings out my dark side and who knows what I would be capable of?"

"So…"

"As much as it kills me to avoid you, it's for the best until this curse breaks." He stood up and with a heartbroken look, walked out of the kitchen.

* * *

Raye and Amy were in the library reading when the doors opened with a bang. The two girls looked up and watched as an angry blonde walked in with a purpose. The both girls put down their books and waited for the blonde to approach them.

"A curse?" She said with acid as she came to a halt before them. "The reason he won't touch me is because of a fucking curse?!"

Raye sighed, "Kunzite told you."

"You think?" Mina returned flinging herself into another chair. "And her I thought it was something I did! I thought there was something wrong with me! But no! He's cursed!"

The doors banged open again and the brunette stamped into the room and potato masher still in her hand and a ferocious look on her face. "A curse?" She shrilled. "This whole mansion is cursed?! And we're supposed to feel safe here?!" She flung herself into another chair and tried to cross her arms. That's when she noticed that she had walked out of the kitchen with the masher in her hand. She grumbled something and put it on the side table.

"Nephrite?" Raye asked.

"Yes," Lita replied. "Here I thought he was avoiding me because there was something wrong with me. That he hadn't really wanted me to stay here, he was just being nice. But _no_ , the first guy I like in ages and he's a character from a _fucking fairy tale_!" Her cheeks were rosy as she let this bit of information out.

"You're preaching to the choir, honey," Mina piped in. "At least he had the decency to tell you _before_ he got romantically involved with you, and when you tried to sleep together he bails like the hounds of hell are at his heels."

Lita sent her a sympathetic look knowing that Mina was right. Raye and Amy exchanged looks before the blue haired girl walked to a shelf and fetched a bottle of tequila and four shot glasses from the fourth shelf of the third bookcase. "Welcome to the club," she said and handed each girl a glass. Mina and Lita accepted their glass with enthusiasm and slung them back. Raye slung hers back as well as Amy tentatively sipped at hers.

"So, the men are cursed," Lita said her voice thick with emotion the anger seeming to have slipped out of her. "And they can't be with us the way they want until the curse is broken. And Serenity is the key?"

"Serenity is the key, at least, according to my brother," Raye replied and refilled her glass. She passed the bottle around the circle.

"God, Sere, must feel like hell knowing that Endymion's life is in her hands. Is that why they're not speaking?" Mina asked.

"She doesn't know," the raven-haired girl answered as she took another shot. As she lowered her glass she felt Lita and Mina's eyes staring holes into her. "She doesn't know?" They asked in unison.

Amy and her nodded. "Holy shit," Lita murmured. "So, if that's not the reason, then why aren't they speaking?"

"She told him about what happened with Alan and now he doesn't think she can love him. Not after all that she's been through."

"What an idiot," Mina muttered. "So how are we going to get those two back together? Because there's obviously something there, I mean, I might be new to all of this, but at breakfast this morning, he kept looking at her."

"Are we even sure that he cares for her in the way that we're hoping?" Amy asked. Alcohol made her more cynical. "Yes, he's staring at her at lunch, and sure they were close before the whole Diamond thing, but…"

"After the way he went after her when Diamond had her? Yes," Raye interrupted her blue-haired friend. "I've never seen him that dedicated since he took over for our father."

"He was distraught when we found her and she was unconscious and bleeding," Lita added remembering the way he had clutched at her friend's body. "So he loves her, but…"

"She does," Raye finished for her. "She worried about him after he stalked out and she didn't like the fact that he was drinking to cope with what she had told him."

"Then how do we get them talking?" Mina asked. The four girls lapsed into silence as they thought about how they could get their two friends together to end this curse. Mina's eyes lit up as she came up with an idea. "How about throwing a party?" She asked.

* * *

Diamond Reynolds was dead, or at least that what a lot of people were thinking about the CEO. He had last been seen walking into the Tsukino Inc. building and then people saw the Chiba Corp. helicopter land on the roof. Rumors being what they were, some had started to wonder if Diamond had become just like the other CEOs who had met with Endymion Chiba. For Diamond hadn't been seen leaving the building and Endymion had been seen leaving with a woman's body in his arms. A woman who looked a lot like the also missing CEO of Tsukino Inc.

Sapphire Reynolds, being Diamond's successor, had taken over operations of the company. He didn't know what had happened that night at the Tsukino building – although he could hazard a guess – all he knew was what would happen if his brother showed his face again. The police would be waiting and hopefully that would be the last he would see of him. He was thinking that when he walked into his new office that morning.

And stopped short when he saw that someone was already in his seat. He sighed when he realized who it was.

"Well, well, I'm gone for a week and already you have decided to take over, my dear brother," Diamond said with his hands folded around his knee. "So glad to see how hard you're working on trying to find me. And I thought you cared for me, brother."

"I figured you were bound to surface sooner or later," Sapphire regarded his brother coldly. "I'm surprised you even decided to show your face considering you now know what I have to do."

"Oh, yes, that's right. You're supposed to call the police on me. Well, go ahead, I won't stop you," he gestured to the phone and even picked up the headset and handed it to him. Sapphire started to dial. "But I do have to say, brother, I thought we were family. And would family really do this to each other?"

Sapphire hesitated, "You stopped being family when you decided to go after Serenity. Time and time again you pursued her despite her denying your advances. You even went so far as to kidnap the poor girl! And tortured her if the tale her father tells is correct. You deserve to be in jail."

Until this point, Diamond had sat there was a smile on his face, but at the mention of Serenity's father and his tale, he lost his composure. With a quick motion, he slammed his hand down on the receiver ending Sapphire's attempt to call the police.

"So," he seethed. "You finally admit to what I've known for quite some time. You've been in cahoots with Serenity's father. You told him about my plan for Serenity and he told Endymion. You ruined _everything_!"

Sapphire was not amused. "I didn't tell Kenneth anything. I called Endymion directly and told him of my suspicions. As I rightly should have. Your obsession with Serenity is unhealthy, brother. You need hel - " he didn't get to finish his sentence as Diamond threw back a punch that landed squarely on his brother's jaw.

"I need help. I'm a psychopath." Diamond mocked. "Don't you think I've heard it before? But what people don't understand is that I wouldn't be this way if I got what I wanted!" He slammed the phone into his brother's head and smiled when Sapphire slumped to the floor unconscious. "And this time, _brother_ , you're going to help me get what I want."

* * *

Raye and Jadeite sat in silence in Endymion's study the next day. They had decided that it was best if they were the ones to talk to him about the party. But after bidding them entrance to his study, Raye's brother hadn't said a word or acknowledged their presence. She was very close to losing her temper. She was very close to losing her temper. She knew that her brother wasn't in the best place these days, but that didn't excuse his behavior. Just because things weren't working out the way he wanted didn't mean that he could just give up. Especially when things weren't as terrible as he thought them to be. She was about to tell him that when he finally looked up from his papers.

"Jadeite and my sister," he said in his version of a greeting. "This is a surprise. What can I do for you?"

Raye looked at Jadeite who started, "Well, we have a proposition for you."

"Go on."

"As you know, things have been… _strained_ in this house lately with not only our new guests, but the fact that they haven't been able to leave. So, all of us thought what better way to raise morale then to throw a party?"

Silence met Jadeite's proposition. Raye watched her brother carefully as he seemed to mull the idea over. His eyes weren't giving anything away and the silence didn't make things look good. _He's going to turn us down_ , she thought with despair.

"A party?" Endymion broke the silence. "I guess that would be all right, since I did just close that deal with Kaiou Enterprises. But how will you guys plan it if none of the girls can leave the house?"

"The girls can't leave, but we can," Jadeite replied. "Anything they need we can run out and get for them."

"Very well," Endymion said with a small smile. "What would the theme of this party be, my dear sister?"

"A masquerade," she replied with a smile of her own.

* * *

After his sister and Jadeite left his study buzzing with ideas and things to do with the party, Endymion sat back in his chair and thought. He'd been doing a lot of thinking over the last week. He had been thinking about Serenity and what to do.

The morning after his drinking binge, he had awoken with a pounding headache and before Serenity had. He plucked himself from the bed and exited the room as quickly and quietly as he could. He spent the next few days avoiding her and delving deep into his work. He thought the work would take his mind off his problems but it didn't. If anything it made him miss her more. He missed spending time with her. He missed her laugh, her moans, her touch and most of all her smile.

On the third day, when his eyes had 'read' the name Serenity in his paperwork for the tenth time in two hours, he stopped working and started thinking. Serenity had been with a dominant. She had fallen in love with him and told him. He beat her for the emotion. She became addicted to drugs. Raye had helped her get better. Years passed. Her father messed up. She came to help him. Endymion set his sights on her company and then her. Things had gotten testy between them until they finally succumbed to the sexual tension. She was up for his version of 'more' and somehow through all of that, she had stayed.

And he had stopped wanting her just because of her company and to break his curse. He had fallen in love with her. And even though he had written off her loving him back, he couldn't help but hope that maybe, just maybe, she could love him even after all she had been through. Although, Endymion was more hopeful about how things could end, he still hadn't been ready to face her. Why he was being a coward about it he couldn't fathom a guess. Except for maybe one. He hadn't seen her, conscious, since he had stalked out. She probably had questions and accusations and he hadn't been ready to face all of that.

By the time a week had passed, he woke up in his own bed again – Serenity had been cleared to move by Zoicite – and her scent enveloped him. With that scent in his senses he decided to bite the bullet. He could only hide in his house for so long. However, when he went down for breakfast he hadn't expected to find what he found.

The usual sparse dining room table was almost full. There were two new people sitting at the table and somehow Amy had also been persuaded to join the table. They were all laughing about something when he entered the room, but stopped when they noticed his presence. He didn't take it personally, knowing that they had grown used to him not being there and had no idea what had drawn him out. He didn't care that they were silent for the rest of the meal because Serenity was there. And even though she didn't dare look his way, he felt some comfort in her being there.

The second day – today – had been better. There was small chitchat and Serenity had looked his way _twice_ but it wasn't enough for him yet. He needed things to go back to what they were between him and Serenity. And he wasn't talking about the sex. He was talking about how she used to talk to him. She hadn't said a word to him yet. So, he had a lot of work to do, especially if his plan for this masquerade was going to work.

At the masquerade, he was going to tell her everything.


	9. Chapter 8: Masks and Daggers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Sailor Moon or Beauty and the Beast. I don't own the song "Time to Dance" by Panic! At the Disco either. Some lime scenes (not quite lemon) in this one and some minor language. Enjoy!

_Well she's not bleeding on the ballroom floor_  
_Just for the attention 'cause that's just ridiculously odd_  
_Well she sure is going to get it_  
_Here's the setting_  
_Fashion magazines line the walls now_  
_The walls line the bullet holes_

_~Time to Dance ~Panic! At the Disco_

* * *

Serenity was trying to lose herself in a book, a week later, but her mind kept wandering off. Raye and the other girls had been busy doing something for the last week. Something that involved the other guys in the house. Being a romantic, she had hopes that her friends were finally getting some much-deserved love. But she knew better. One day last week she had come into the kitchen and had stumbled in on the eight of them. They were whispering and hadn't noticed her come in so she was able to take in the scene. There were pens and papers littered on the island and stacks of magazine surrounding Mina she knew that something more than romance was being plotted. She really wanted to know what, but figured that _somebody_ was bound to tell her eventually.

But she wasn't too concerned with what was going on with the eight because that wasn't what her mind kept wandering off to. No, her mind was more focused on the dark and mysterious one. The one who barely came out of his study these days except for meals. He barely spoke except to talk business. He hadn't said a word to her, not since she told him the truth about her past. Although that wasn't quite true. He had said something to her, but not really _to_ her. The night she told him the truth, Serenity couldn't really sleep. Her arm and stomach ached from her wounds and her mind was plagued by nightmares. Nightmares that started out with her time with Alan and morphed to her time with Diamond. She had just awoken from one of these nightmares when she heard the bedroom door open or close.

She opened her eyes, peering into the darkness when she saw a shadow of a form. She was pretty sure it was Endymion, even more certain when he started stripping. A small rush of warmth enveloped her at the thought of him joining her in his bed. But then he got closer and she smelled the liquor rolling off of him. He was drunk and wasn't looking to talk. He was looking for sleep, but why was he joining her? He had never stayed with her before. Was he _that_ drunk?

He climbed into the bed and curled himself around her body. His warmth enveloped her instantly and her aching arm ebbed. She was about to fall asleep again when he spoke. "I love you," he whispered, which sent a jolt through her waking her up instantly. He had fallen into a deep sleep right after, but she stayed awake. Had he really just professed his love for her? But why? They hadn't known each other that long. He used her for sex. He… _came for you and rescued you from Diamond's clutches._ Besides hadn't she just that afternoon decided that there was something there between them? That she felt something for him other than hate?

She had spent the rest of that night and every day for the next two weeks thinking over those questions. By this point, Serenity was tired of thinking. She was tired of this stupid cast and she was tired of Endymion avoiding her. She wanted answers. But she couldn't get them because she didn't know how. The person to ask was Endymion, but he was locked away in his study. She could ask the other guys, but they were busy with the girls. So she was left to the isolation of the library where her thoughts flooded her. She closed the book she had been trying to read with a huff.

In the past, books would help her forget her troubles for a while. But for this it wasn't working. She would try diving into work, but after what had happened she had taken an indefinite leave of absence. Her life wasn't worth her company. "And you wonder why people go insane," she mused out loud.

"Well, talking to yourself isn't a good sign," a voice said from the doorway. A voice she knew well, but hadn't heard directed towards her in almost two weeks. Serenity sat up as she took in his appearance. His hair was rumpled and he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt for the first time that she could remember. He looked like he had just gotten up.

"So why exactly are you going insane?" He asked with a tentative smile on his face as he walked closer to where she was sitting.

"Not to sound whiny, but I'm bored out of my mind," she replied. "The girls and guys are working on something and my mind just won't focus to read."

"What about work?"

"Seriously?" She countered. "After everything that happened, I deserved some time off. I'm on a indefinite leave of absence." The small smile that had been on his face was no longer there as he leaned against the wall near her window seat. A silence lapsed briefly and she wondered what she had said wrong this time. Here he was finally speaking to her and she had to rub what had happened in his face. _Smooth, Serenity, real smooth,_ she thought to herself. She was about to apologize when he let out a chuckle.

"No work, can't concentrate on a book and the others are working, I can see why you started talking to yourself for amusement. We should do something about that." He pulled himself from the wall and offered her his hand. She looked at it questioning. "I think some fresh air might do us both some good. Would you like to take a walk with me?"

She didn't even hesitate. She put her book aside and put her hand into his. "Yes," she replied with a smile as he pulled her up.

Serenity had thought that during her stay at the Chiba Estate that she had been in or seen most of the house. But as he escorted her down the stairs and into the main foyer she realized that the huge mansion hadn't revealed all its secrets to her just yet. She was led through the foyer and to the back wall where – she hadn't noticed until now – there was a huge wall of glass and in the center was an outline of a door. Endymion opened the door for her and she stepped outside.

She was instantly greeted with a wall of green shrubbery. "Um…so did I just step into Wonderland or something?" She asked.

"Not quite," he chuckled and took her hand in his again. He led her around the shrub wall and into a maze of the stuff. _It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic,_ she thought to herself and tried to remember the turns that he made. But it soon became impossible as he sped up. Wherever they were going, he knew the way well.

Eventually, after many twists and turns that almost made her dizzy, they stopped in what looked like the center of the maze. But Serenity wasn't too focused on that. Instead she was in awe for around the 'center of the maze' was a rainbow of flowers. "Oh, my," she whispered as she glanced around. All around the ground were flowerbeds that were in full bloom and on the walls surrounding them were vines of flowers. "How come I didn't know that this was here?" She asked moving forward to examine them more closely.

"Because you really haven't left the grounds," he replied and stopped as the words he didn't say hung in the air. _Except that once,_ she finished for him. "Anyway, it was my mother's. She loved to garden and it was the one place on the grounds where she could think. Of course, when she died, my father maintained the area for her and when he died, I continued on the tradition. To have so much work go to waste would be a shame."

"You never really talk about your parents," she said watching him as he approached a rose bush. He picked one – a red one – and handed it to her with a smile. She accepted it with a smile of her own.

"It's not really a subject I like to talk about," he replied. "My mother and I were really close, so when she died I took the loss hard. My father and I weren't as close. In fact, he was pretty much a dick. He didn't really care for my sister and me, Raye less so than me. With me he saw his legacy continuing on. With Raye it was just a girl to live off of his money until she got married."

"And yet, he left Raye nothing when he died."

His head snapped up and his eyes landed on hers before an ironic smile crossed his face. "Indeed. Guess you could consider it his push for her to find someone. Bastard."

"But you helped her? You gave her money so she could finish school."

"I did, because unlike my father I knew the way the world works. Women don't need to marry a successful businessman; they can be the successful businesswomen themselves. If they have an education."

They lapsed into silence as Serenity continued to look at the flowers. There was a question on her tongue that she desperately wanted to ask, but she was afraid to. After not talking to her for weeks why was he spending so much time with her today? She didn't want to say anything though and make things awkward.

But that didn't stop him from doing it. "Serenity," he began. "I feel like I need to apologize to you for my distance lately, and for the way I reacted when you told me about what happened to you in the past. It was very…well, it was a very dickish move and I shouldn't have done it. I'm sorry."

"You know, I don't really blame you for how you reacted," she replied trying her damndest not to look at him. She didn't want to lose her courage. "There was a reason I didn't tell you or have Zoicite tell you. But the silence thing afterwards was definitely shitty. So why didn't you speak to me?"

He sighed. "Honestly? Because I felt like shit for how I treated you. Here you are telling me about your history with BDSM and how it _hurt_ you, and I made you enter into a relationship that was almost like that again. A relationship filled with triggers for you. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror."

This time she laughed. "Are you kidding me? You think that what we had is _anything_ like what I had with _him_? Because I can tell you it wasn't. You made sure that I was okay with what we did and that I was okay afterwards. He didn't do those things."

"But I didn't stay with you."

"He didn't either and at least you were in the same house. He would always leave. Believe me if I thought for just one second that you were anything like him, I wouldn't have continued on. I would have ended it."

He looked like he had something to say in response, something where he didn't agree with what she said but she wouldn't let him get it out. She waved him off and continued on. "Trust me, Endymion. I promised myself after I got out of rehab that I would never allow myself into a dangerous relationship again. Besides, even if I had, do you really think Raye would have just stood ideally by and let me?"

"Point taken," he replied with a small smile. "That still doesn't excuse what I did to you on your second night here. We had barely known each other forty-eight hours and I took you like that against the wall? My mother would be pretty ashamed of me. So I apologize."

"Wow, this time apart made you really think, didn't it?"

"It really did. So I propose something. Why don't we start over?"

"Start over?"

"Yes, we got into things a little bit too quickly. I think we need to wipe the slate clean. Get to know each other without having business relations or past histories getting involved. What do you say?" He turned to her his azure blue eyes searching her cornflower blues.

She thought it was an insane idea. They had already had sex and knew each other's bodies thoroughly. He had already declared to her – not knowingly of course – that he loved her. And he really thought it was a good idea to start over? To get to know one another as if they were on a blind date? But at the same time, maybe it was a good idea. She couldn't know how she truly felt about him if she didn't know him. "Okay, let's start over." She finally agreed.

He stuck out his hand with a smile on his face. "Hello, I'm Endymion Chiba and you are?"

She put her hand in his the same shocks going up her spine like they did the first time that they had met. "I'm Serenity Tsukino. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," he replied placing a kiss on her knuckles. "So, Serenity, tell me about yourself." And that's exactly what she did.

* * *

Elsewhere in the house the girls and the guys were trying to put together the party of the century. They only had a few more days until the party was scheduled to begin and yet there were still many more things to do. Mina was sitting at the dining room table surrounded by catalogs and pictures of dresses, shoes, and other various decorations while she flipped through more catalog pages. The silence of the room was occasionally interrupted by her pulling the pages out. Since she was the resident party girl and the fashionista of the group she had been put in charge of decorations and the dresses for the girls (she thought the guys had a pretty good sense of fashion and didn't really need her help in that department). And although she had thought he would have been too busy to help her out, Kunzite had elected to be her second set of hands for her in this. This mostly just entailed him getting her magazines and confirming whether or not Endymion had any pull in certain stores.

He was bringing her another stack of magazines, when she closed the one in front of her and pushed back from the table with a smile on her face. "Done," she declared as she took a look at her inspiration boards. There were about fifteen boards around the table. Each had a specific purpose. Five boards had ideas for dresses – with various colors – for each of the girls. Five more boards had ideas for shoes and the other five had all the decorations that Mina wanted to use for the party. She had even gone so far as to mock up what she wanted the rooms to look like. It had taken days to get everything together and now she just needed to put everything in place.

Kunzite was looking at the boards over her shoulder with interest. He was particularly interested in one of the dress boards. He pointed at a dress with thick straps, a beaded waistline and a Greek style skirt. "You'd look lovely in that," he murmured into her ear causing goose bumps to appear on her skin.

She turned her head to the side to get a better look at him. "How did you know that was the one I was thinking about wearing?" She whispered. But he didn't answer her. Her lips were so close to his own and this had been the closest that they had been in weeks…He couldn't resist the temptation anymore and even though he knew better, he lowered his lips to hers anyway. The kiss was intoxicating to both of them and despite both knowing that they needed to pull away from each other before things got too heated, they continued kissing. Mina turned her body so it was flush against his and put her arms around his neck. His arms encircled her waist and he pushed her backwards against the lip of the table. He hoisted her so she sat astride the surface and placed himself between her legs.

Their lips broke apart so that they could both catch their breath, but he refused to stop touching her skin. His lips trailed along the line of her jaw and down the curve of her neck. At the juncture between her neck and her shoulder, he placed one chaste kiss before he picked up his head and stepped away from her. "Should I get Amy and Zoicite?" He asked trying to control his raging libido and his inner beast.

She blinked at the sudden change in direction. "Uh…yeah…we have a lot of calls to make to get these dresses, shoes and the decorations here." She found her bearings and jumped down from the table. She looked behind her to make sure the boards hadn't been too mussed in their heated exchange.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and kissed her cheek before leaving the room. She sighed and pretended for a second that she wasn't angry with him. She knew that she shouldn't be, it wasn't _his_ fault that he had been cursed and it also wasn't his fault that he was trying to protect her from that curse. But damn it, if Serenity and Endymion could be together without him hurting her, than why couldn't Kunzite be with her? _Because he's afraid_ , the sane part of her argued and she knew that part was right. Kunzite had told her about his nightmares of her being hurt because of his beast. He cared for her too much to have that happen, and if that meant not being with her – even though he desperately wanted to – until the curse was broken than he was going to do just that. If only to keep her from being hurt.

Mina wandered over towards the glass window just to get her mind away from the party and thoughts of Kunzite. But it didn't stop her mind from going there anyway. Everyone in that house needed the curse to be broken for some reason or another. The only way it was going to be broken was if Serenity fell in love with Endymion. The two hadn't been speaking for weeks and the deadline to break the curse was drawing nearer. It was May, Endymion's birthday was in August. They didn't have much time. But how were they going to break the curse when they weren't even speaking? They had to get thrown back together and Mina had hopes that this party would be the way to do that. She had been surprised when Endymion had so readily agreed to the masquerade, but she was happy for it. It meant that he wanted to sort things out with Serenity again and this was his chance to do so. Or so that's what Mina hoped he had thought in agreeing to this. Now she only had to think of how to get those two together at the dance.

That's when a hint of yellow caught her eye in the distance. She knew that color anywhere, it was almost the same shade as her own, but what was Serenity doing outside? She turned her head and felt her mouth drop. Serenity was outside all right, but she wasn't alone. The master of the house, the raven-haired man himself, was at her side and they were smiling and laughing with each other. What was going on here? Maybe getting the two of them back together was going to be easier than Mina had thought!

* * *

Down in the basement of the mansion, Raye had locked herself in the theater as she tried to figure out music for the dance. There were stacks of CDs around her, most were legit bands but others were bands that were trying to make their big break. As a Chiba, the possibilities were endless for her to find someone to perform. But most of the CDs that she had listened to just didn't have the right vibe and hiring a DJ was so _not_ an option. They weren't throwing some raving mixer, it was a masquerade dance. There were going to be CEOs there and other potential business connections. Besides, Mina would absolutely kill her if she even thought about hiring a DJ.

She was listening to one of those CDs – a metal band, how about no? – when Jadeite walked into the room. She didn't hear him come in, which he was thankful for because it gave him a few moments to just look at her without her knowing it. They hadn't seen much of each other since everyone had agreed to plan this thing. He had only been in contact to hand her more CDs, which was a good thing. He had wanted to spend less time around her because if he did then there was a lesser chance of the curse trying to get the best of him. But it was a bad thing too because after six years apart and knowing that she was _right there_ made him ache for her. He had missed her during her time away at school. He still missed her even though they were living in the same house, but he couldn't get close to her. He couldn't even try to be her friend, because of this stupid curse. But that didn't stop him from catching glimpses of her whenever he could, but he needed to go before she caught him.

"You know, you're not the best at sneaking around," he heard her say as he slowly came back to his senses. He had let his mind wander off and now the music had stopped and she was looking right at him.

 _Fool,_ he thought to himself. He should have known that stopping and staring wasn't the best idea that eventually he would be caught by her the raven-haired girl. She was just like her brother in that way. Always aware of their surroundings and whether or not they were being watched. But now that he had been caught there was only one thing left to do. He had to flee. If he didn't flee then he was going to do something really, really stupid.

"I think I need to write this day down," she mused. "May seventeenth, the day that Jadeite was finally at a loss for words and the world begins to end." A small smile erupted on her lips and Jadeite couldn't help but smile back.

"Don't get used to it," he quipped back. "I was just lost in thought, that's all. Now, if you'll excuse me." He went to move around her, but she refused to let him leave so easily. He tried again, and she blocked him. She was not on board with his plan to flee.

"You're not going anywhere. Not until you tell me why you've been watching me like this for the last few weeks. It's bad enough when my brother sulks around watching Serenity, but I won't have you do it too. So tell me, why are you watching me?"

 _Lie_ , was the immediate response in his brain. But he knew that he couldn't do that. Raye knew when people were lying to her and she would give him so much shit for doing it. He was better off telling her the truth. Especially since it was a truth that she knew well. "You know why I've been watching you."

"I want to hear you say it."

"I'm watching you because it's killing me to know that you're in the same house as me, to have these feelings for you, and not being able to act on them. But if I see you, I can somewhat ease that tension I'm feeling. Because if I don't watch you, see you, then the next time I lose control of my beast I'm coming for you and I don't know if I'll be able to stop." He bit his lip as the truth came out and he watched as she closed her eyes and took a deep shaky breath. It was blunt, but to the point. Watching her was as close as he could get without putting her in danger until Endymion broke this curse this was what Jadeite was stuck with.

"Okay," she said her voice strong but the look in her eyes said differently. She was fighting something too and the wait was killing them. Being this close to her – the closest that they had been in weeks except for meals – was intoxicating. Even now he felt his control slipping. He had to leave, now. Before he did something that he would end up regretting later.

He made his third attempt for the door, but Raye still refused to move. He looked at her exasperated. Didn't she understand that he couldn't be there right now? That every second he was there with her, breathing the same sexual tensed air, she was one step closer to being hurt? Or worse dead? But he knew that look in her violet eyes all too well, she had the same look when they were kids and she was determined to get what she wanted. He stood there holding onto his control with all his might as she leaned in to him and brushed her lips against his.

With the brief touch, the beast roared in his ears and he snapped. He pulled her in close and deepened the kiss, possessing her mouth completely. He felt more than heard her gasp of surprise as he backed her up to the door and pinned her there with no way out. _What are you doing?_ The sane part of him asked. He knew that she had only met for this kiss to be a brief one. One to get him by, but she was going to pay for that thought. His lips chafed against hers as his fingers delved underneath the dolman top she was wearing and felt the heat off of her bare skin. She moaned into his mouth, which excited him to keep his fingers going upwards. He was almost at her bra…

"RAYE!" Someone exclaimed from the other side of the door and followed it with a sharp knock. Jadeite jumped back to his senses and was across the room within moments. He looked on in horror of what he'd done. Raye was still holding herself up against the door, her top wrinkled and out of place and her mouth was swollen from his kiss. He had almost taken things too far. Thank goodness for whoever had interrupted them.

"Raye?" The voice came again. The girl straightened out her shirt and with – what Jadeite only assumed was practice – put on a straight face to open the door. On the other side were a baffled Amy and Zoicite. They both took in the situation and wisely didn't say anything. Zoicite threw a questioning glance Jadeite's way, but he only shook his head.

"Hey, guys, what's going on?" Raye asked her voice somehow normal.

"You guys have to come upstairs and see this," Amy replied. "I think we're not going to have to do that much plotting to get Endymion and Serenity back together." With a raised eyebrow Raye quickly followed the blunette out of the room. Jadeite followed behind her wondering what this could be about and Zoicite fell into step beside him.

"Do I want to know what we just walked in on?" He asked.

"Have you ever lost control of your beast despite your best efforts?"

The response was immediate, "Yes, yes I have." Which left Jadeite to wonder what exactly his friend – who was usually the most collected out of the five – had broken his control on?

* * *

As Amy was used to running errands for the Chiba household and because she had no immediate connection to Serenity and her group of friends, she was allowed to come and go from the house as she pleased. This made her the perfect person to go out and get things for the masquerade. When Zoicite first heard that Amy had been elected the group's gopher he hadn't been too concerned. The girl was used to getting things for the house, but then he thought about it. Yes, she wasn't directly connected with Serenity, but she was connected to the Chiba household and knowing Diamond he wouldn't care. If he thought holding Amy would get him Serenity he would take her. With that thought in mind he breached the subject of going with her just as a precaution to her directly.

"Are you really that concerned?" Amy asked. "Or is this just an excuse to spend time with me?" She laughed at the look on his face. "Of course, you can come with me, Zoi. Besides I could probably use the hands. Have you seen the lists Mina and Lita have given me?"

And she had been right. Lita and Mina had given her extensive lists and they had spent the last few days getting everything together. There had been no problems whatsoever either, not that he had really expected anything. It was commonly known that he was the calmest member of the group of five who had been cursed. But that still hadn't stopped him from trying to put distance between Amy and himself. All it would take was one slip of his control and things could be over. He wasn't willing to risk it. But with every day that they spent together – especially in the cramped space of a car for an hour – feelings were starting to brew that couldn't be ignored. And Zoicite was starting to feel the tension.

Today they were on another journey for decorations, it seemed that Mina had made a few tweaks to the color scheme and she needed some last minute things. When Amy had told him this during breakfast, he had been half tempted to tell her to go alone. It was such a small list there wasn't any need for him, but a little voice in the back of his mind protested worrying about her safety. Besides what could possibly go wrong? As it turned out, almost everything.

It started in the car. Something had been brewing since they had come back yesterday and it had picked up again before they had even started out. Most of the time they could have a quiet silence and not have it be awkward, but today was different. The silence between them was full of awkwardness. And neither of them knew how to fill it. When they showed up at the store they were very cautious around each other, which made shopping stressful. Zoicite didn't know what to do to ease the tension and he wondered if it was all in his head.

He was reaching for a tablecloth when Amy finally broke the silence. "Okay, did I do something?" She asked which caused him to falter. He looked up at her.

"What?"

"You haven't talked to me all morning, and I'm starting to think that I did something to offend you. What's going on, Zoicite?"

"Nothing," he said with a sigh. "I just…I don't know something is off today. Don't you feel it?"

" _Yes_ , that's what I'm trying to tell you," she replied worked up. "It started at breakfast and I don't know what's going on. You're usually so up front with me."

"You're right, it's just that… I think I'm struggling with something…" he trailed off not sure how to go on. This was a subject that hadn't been breached before with them. It had been an unacknowledged fact that the two of them had had feelings for each other since they were kids. But nothing had ever been said about it, especially after the curse had hit. The curse had never really affected him before, not like with the others. Until now. How was he supposed to tell her that he was fighting his beast?

She laid a gentle hand on his arm. "You know you can tell me anything."

Her touching him was seriously not helping. The beast was screaming inside of him to do something about this sexual tension even if it was in the same aisle as the table clothes and helium tanks. "Amy…" he nearly growled out. This caused a flash of alarm to go through her eyes, but she didn't back away. This only fueled him on. He covered her hand with his and took a step closer to her. One little step that gave her time to back away again, but she didn't. This time he lowered his head and covered her lips with his.

It was a stupid move. The tentative control that he had on the beast within was broken with the brief touch and he found himself pressing her toward the shelf of tablecloths and centerpieces. She went easily enough and he felt her kissing back. He broke his lips away from hers to allow her to catch her breath as he trailed his lips down the column of her neck. He was at the collar of her shirt when he heard someone clear their throat. Both of their eyes snapped to the worker standing at the beginning of the aisle.

"Uh, folks, can you please take that somewhere else?" The worker said with a blush staining her cheeks. This had to be a first for her. Not many people probably came for decorations and got distracted by a make out session.

Zoicite cleared his throat and stepped away from Amy whose cheeks were stained red. She wouldn't look him in the eye and looked down at the crumpled piece of paper in her hands. "So what's next on the list?" He softly said to her.

"Balloons," she replied her voice barely above a whisper. He nodded and started pushing the cart down the aisle.

They barely got through the rest of the list and the ride back to the mansion was as silent as the ride out. They grabbed the stuff from the back of the car and walked into the house. Mina was in her usual place of the dining room, but instead of sitting at the table her face was glued to the glass window at the back of the room. Zoicite took the bags from Amy and she went to figure out what the blonde was looking at.

"What's going on, Mina?" She asked looking out the window.

"Look at them!" The blonde pointed in excitement. Amy followed the direction her finger was pointing in and found something surprising. It was Endymion and Serenity and they were sitting, talking and at some points laughing. Amy raised her eyebrow. Well, this was new. Without even having to say anything she could already feel Zoicite at her back and his eyes took in the scene.

"When did this start?" He asked.

"I don't know! I was finishing up the dresses and accessories boards, when I took a glance out the window. My eyes caught her hair and they've been like this for the last twenty minutes. This is so exciting!" She turned around with a new light in her eyes that the two hadn't seen before. "We have to show Raye!"

"I'll get her," Amy offered since she knew where the raven-haired beauty was. Mina nodded and turned back towards the window.

* * *

In the kitchen, Lita had taken over every available surface to plan out what she was going to serve at this masquerade dance. She had been planning for the last week, but she kept changing her mind. Right now she had the dinner entrée set and three of the four appetizers, but it was the last appetizer that she couldn't figure out. She was consulting another cookbook when she felt someone walk into the kitchen.

She thought it might be Mina coming in to sample her choices, but she had no sample today. "Sorry, Mina, I don't have any samples for you to test out today."

"That's too bad," a voice that wasn't Mina's said with a slight hint of humor said. "Because I've been smelling you're amazing cooking all week, and I've only been able to get into the kitchen now."

Lita looked up from her cookbook and her eyes met Nephrite's. _Oh_ , she thought with an inner sigh. She hadn't seen much of the mysterious man since he told her about the curse and why he had to stay away from her. He'd leave her ingredients outside the kitchen door every so often and she'd see him during breakfast and dinner, but they had never been alone. Until now and she had forgotten how _delicious_ he looked and today he looked even better. For the first time that she could recall he wasn't wearing a suit. Instead he was wearing a hunter green button up shirt and a pair of jeans. God, he looked like sex… She shook herself out of it. These feelings towards him were probably why he was staying away. One false move and they could end up in bed together or worse…

"I can always whip something up," she smiled. "You've got a taste for anything in particular?" She turned away from him and began taking down a mixing bowl from the cabinet.

"Yes," he replied. "You."

The bowl slipped out of her hands and fell to the ground. Before it could hit, Nephrite's hands swept in and caught it. She looked up startled and watched as he placed the bowl on the counter and turned back to her. His green eyes were burning with need for her. _Oh no_ …she thought.

He took a step towards her and she took a step back until her butt brushed against the island. He caged her in with his arms as he leaned in close to her. His lips were close, but she leaned away.

"What brought this on?" She asked her voice low. "I haven't spoken to you since you told me about the curse, and now you're in my kitchen telling me that you need me? Get a grip, Nephrite."

He leaned away and looked at her slightly amused. "I'm trying to get a grip, Lita, but I can't, not when I keep thinking about you. You want to know what brought this on? It's the fact that I've been keeping my distance, but I've smelled your cooking all week. It's in my nose and knowing you're in here making all this food…that you're so close…" he took in a deep breath. "Then there was the dream this morning that left me gasping."

"Dream? Tell me about it."

"We were in this very kitchen," he began. "You had just finished making those cookies you made a few days ago…"

"The chocolate chip swirl?"

"Yes," he breathed. "You had dough left over and you offered me a spoonful to see if I liked the taste. I loved it so much that I told you that the only thing that could make it better is if I could lick it off every part of you."

A shiver ran through her at the thought of it and she felt him against her stomach. Yes, she could definitely see why Nephrite would come in here like this after a dream like that but he should know better than to act on this feeling. "Well," she said her voice breathy. "Then I'll have to make sure I make a batch of those cookies when the curse is broken."

It was the right thing to say. With the mention of the curse, he backed away, but his eyes were still burning with need. "You're right, and I apologize for my forwardness. Can I help you with anything?"

"There's no – "

"Lita!" Raye exclaimed running into the kitchen. "You're not going to believe this! Come with me, right now!" She pulled on the brunette's hand and dragged her out of the kitchen. Nephrite was right on her heals. They came to the dining room and to a small gathering of the household. Mina, Amy, Zoicite, and Jadeite were all standing at the window and looking out at something in awe. Raye dropped her hand and pointed to what they were looking at. It was Serenity and Endymion talking.

"When did this happen?" Nephrite asked from behind her.

"It's been a half hour," Mina replied. "I think they're not going to need as much of a push as we thought." Her blue eyes caught Kunzite's in the reflection on the glass. He had just walked in, but even he knew what this meant. If things between Endymion and Serenity were good again, then maybe, just maybe they were on their way to breaking the curse.

* * *

The library was draped in every fabric and color known to man a few days later as the girls gathered to try on dresses for the party. Mina, Raye, and Lita were trying not to bombard Serenity with questions about what her and Endymion had been up to over the last few days. The whole house had watched with abated breath as they spent time with each other. The day after the garden incident they had been together in the library. Yesterday they had been watching a movie in the basement. They desperately wanted to know how things were going and just what exactly they were doing. Were they mending their relationship? Was there even a relationship? But all three girls kept their mouths closed knowing it was better for Serenity to come to them about what was going on.

Serenity herself wasn't paying attention to the multitudes of taffeta that were being thrown about. She could really care less if she wore lace or cotton. Her mind was in the clouds and focused on a certain broody raven-haired male. The last few days had been…well, amazing for lack of a better word. Endymion had been right when he had thought that maybe they needed to start over. And start over they did. She knew almost everything about him. His favorite color was black although every now and then he was drawn to the color of deep crimson. His favorite book was the classic _The Great Gatsby_. And she even knew his favorite movie, in fact they had watched it yesterday when she admitted that she hadn't seen it in a while.

It was cute to know that he liked a Disney film, it actually made her like him a little bit more to know that such a serious man had such a soft side, but it was what he said before the film had started that made her question everything. _"I kind of relate to the prince."_ That made her frown. Why would Endymion relate to the prince in _Beauty & the Beast_? He wasn't heartless or selfish as far as she could see and he definitely didn't have a curse upon him that made him into a beast. Unless he was talking about his beast like tendencies in the sack. But that was just being silly, right? She was going to write it off as just her mind trying to play tricks and make her see things that weren't there when she remembered waking up in his room after she had been taken by Diamond. The rose that was on his dresser. The rose that glowed.

 _No,_ she thought to herself. Now she was just making up reasons. This wasn't a Disney movie. Endymion wasn't cursed to be a beast and she wasn't Belle, the girl who would break the spell. Sure, she liked to read and wanted something more for herself than what life had dealt her, but… She sighed. No. She needed to stop thinking about this. Everything would seem coincidental if she thought about it long enough, besides they were there to try on dresses for the dance tomorrow night and…

"What do you think?" Mina asked as she stepped out from the dressing screen and twirled. It was the orange Grecian styled gown that she had been eyeing and that Kunzite and her had talked about. As she thought, she looked fantastic and the girls couldn't help but smile.

"Mina, you look like a goddess," Lita replied.

"I know! When I saw this in the magazine I just knew this was the dress," she gushed.

"If you knew this was the dress than why did you order so many others?" Serenity asked with a smile.

"For you guys, silly!" She went back behind the screen to change back. The others looked at each other before erupting into giggles. The blonde was just so full of enthusiasm it was hard not to laugh at her antics. She popped back out again and pointed to the bluenette.

"You're up, Ames."

Amy blushed at the nickname and went behind the screen. "So, I'm not used to dressing up so fancy. What do you think will work for me?"

"Something in blue or teal for sure, to compliment your hair," Mina replied and went over to one of the several racks that were in the room. The others joined her. Raye held up a strapless sky blue number and placed it over the screen. Within moments the gown was over her head and in place. She stepped out and all four girls shook their head. It was definitely not her. The dress showed off way more skin than Amy was going to be comfortable with. Sighing, Amy stepped back behind the screen and waited for the next selection. Serenity flipped through the dresses and stopped at one. She pulled it out and held it out for the others to see. They gasped and nodded.

"Here, try this one," Serenity said and handed it over. A few minutes later, Amy stepped out and twirled to model the dress. The dress had thick straps and the top half was embroidered with silver sequins. The bottom was made of silk, flared out into an empire waist and was a deep midnight blue.

"Oh my…" Mina gasped with a hand held up to her mouth.

"You're a babe!" Lita exclaimed.

"They're right," Serenity nodded when Amy sent her an unsure glance.

"Well, Ms. Pots, I didn't think you had it in you! Zoicite is going to be blown away!" Raye exclaimed and Serenity stiffened at the name. Amy herself blushed and ducked behind the screen to change again.

"Zoicite is so going to flip," Mina gushed.

"He already has," Lita said with a wave of her hand.

"WHAT?" The three exclaimed.

"You guys didn't know?" At their stunned expressions the brunette continued. "A few days ago when they were at the party store, Amy and him made out by the balloons. They haven't really spoken since."

Serenity, Mina, and Raye exchanged shocked looks but couldn't say anything more as the aforementioned Amy came back out with the dress held over her arm. Raye smiled and grabbed the dress she'd been looking at from the opposite rack and went behind the screen. Mina opened her mouth to ask about the make out session that Amy had, but both Lita and Serenity shot her an evil look. She walked away pouting. Serenity went over to the rack that had mostly black dresses and started flipping through them. Nothing really caught her eye, but then again she was barely paying attention. Her mind was too focused on what she had just heard even though she was telling herself that she was crazy for even thinking this. There was no way that she had somehow wound up in a crazy twisty fairy tale. This was not a Disney movie – her life never had been – this was real life. There was no curse on Endymion. The rose that glowed that she saw in his room was just a trick of the light.

"You okay?" Lita asked from beside her.

"Yes, no," she replied then sighed. "I don't know. I think I might be going crazy."

"Does this have anything to do with Endymion?" Serenity didn't answer and just looked at the brunette. Lita took her hand and pulled her towards the other. With a look they knew something was going on too and gathered around her as she took a seat on one of the couches.

"What's wrong?" Mina asked.

"I think I might be going crazy," she repeated.

The girls exchanged looks before allowing their friend to continue. She explained what had happened between Endymion and herself and his whole idea of 'starting over,' how well that had been going until the other day with the viewing of his favorite Disney movie and how he related to the Beast. She explained then how she was starting to see connections to his real life and that movie as well. The glowing rose. Amy's last name. At the end of her tale, the girls sat in stunned silence not really sure what to do. They couldn't tell their friend that she was correct in her observations and that there was something going on in the house, right? Because that was Endymion's job to tell her, not theirs…

"I knew it," Serenity sighed after a few minutes of silence from her friends. "I knew I was going crazy. How ridiculous is it to think that Endymion is living something straight out of a Disney movie?"

Mina nodded enthusiastically. "Seriously, Sere. Your imagination is really getting the best of you. It must have been all that looking for symbolism shit that you learned in your English classes or something."

"I figured as much," she got up and started to go back over to one of the dress racks when she stopped. "But how weird is it that he has a glowing rose in his bedroom? Or that Amy's last name is Pots? Or…" She trailed off as she thought of a conversation she had with Raye back when she first was brought here. How Endymion hadn't been the person she grew up with and he caved to his darkest desires. The desires of a beast.

The raven-haired girl saw the spark of connection in her friend's eyes and sighed. Endymion was going to kill her for this… "Shit. All right, Sere, you better sit down again. We have a lot to tell you." The other girls gave her indignant looks.

"Raye!" Mina exclaimed.

"Oh, come on, guys, look at her. She isn't going to let our bull shit excuse stand. She's going to think about it and keep thinking about it until it ends up getting warped. We're better off telling her the truth now."

Lita looked over at her friend who took back her original seat and sighed. Raye was right. But man, were the guys ever going to give them so much trouble for this. "She's right, ladies. Okay…" She took a deep breath – all four girls did – and tried to figure out the best place to start.

* * *

In Endymion's study, the guys had gathered to pretty much do the same thing just with way less taffeta. Endymion's tailor was in attendance and making the right alterations to their tuxes. Kunzite, Jadeite, Zoicite, and Nephrite were burning to ask their friend just what he had been up to with Serenity during the last few days, but knew better to ask. They didn't want to be like the girls. But that didn't stop them from gossiping like them.

"So, Z, what the heck is going on with you and Amy?" Jadeite broke the ice first.

The auburn haired man flushed a little at the question. "Nothing is going on, why do you ask?"

"Don't lie to us, Zoi," Endymion said from his desk chair. "Not when you're blushing like a school girl and we all can't help but notice that anytime Amy walks into the same room, you make an excuse to go elsewhere. What happened?"

He sighed and got up to walk to the drink cart. He poured himself a drink and took a sip before he replied, "I lost control."

The room froze at the admission. Even the tailor – Mr. Smith – stopped his pinning of Kunzite's pant leg to look at him.

"Mr. Smith," Endymion said calmly. "Have you finished?"

"Er…yes, I just need the pants and I can have all of this done tomorrow."

Kunzite sensing the turn of mood went behind the screen to take off the only thing keeping the tailor here. He flung them over the screen and hurried into his jeans before stepping back out. Mr. Smith had gone and everyone had congregated around Zoicite, drinks in hand.

"What do you mean, you lost control?" Endymion was the first to speak.

"Just the way it sounds," he shrugged. "Amy and I went to the party store the other day, we got into a conversation, she challenged me and because there was enough frustration going on I just snapped. I almost had her against a shelving unit with balloons." He downed the rest of his drink.

"Fuck," Nephrite muttered into his glass. "I can't believe it. The stoic Zoicite almost snapped. You know we've hit a turn if that happens."

Endymion almost choked at the subtle twist of topic. Jadeite leaped at the opportunity. "How is wooing our salvation going there, Endymion?"

"It's going well," he replied. "Really well. In fact, I think, I'm going to tell her. At the masquerade dance."

"Tell her?" Kunzite asked. "Tell her what?"

"Everything."

The four were stunned into silence.

Zoicite was the only one who dared to say anything. "Things must be progressing well if you're going to tell her the truth."

"Yeah, how did that happen? You two could barely be in the same room a week ago. What have you been doing?" Jadeite added on.

"I had a discussion with her, where I apologized for my behavior and we decided that maybe we got into things to fast, that maybe we need to start over. So that's what we did. We've been dating. It's actually been…" he smiled. "It's been really nice."

"Who are you and what have you done with Endymion Chiba?" Nephrite asked with a straight face. The others laughed.

"I'm happy for you," Kunzite said. "And I wish you luck in telling her the truth. She's not going to be happy that we've been lying to her since she's been here, but hopefully she'll understand. Her acceptance will either set us free or doom us all."

Endymion nodded in agreement. He knew that he had a tough road ahead of him. Telling Serenity the truth wasn't going to be an easy feat, but he had seen the way she looked at him. She felt _something_ towards him. And he had also seen the way she had watched _Beauty and the Beast_ a few nights ago. She had been accepting then. His only question was whether or not she would be accepting now. Her answer could either save him or kill him. Not to mention what it would do to his heart.

* * *

Five minutes before the masquerade was supposed to start, Mina was in the ballroom trying to find any last minute details that needed attending to. She was fixing a black crepe streamer from falling off the wall when Kunzite spotted her. She was a beauty in the pale orange Grecian gown that they had talked about days ago. Her hair was done in slight curls and hung down her back, and – as she turned to face him – she wore a pale gold mask that was embellished with white crystals and on the right side had a small hibiscus flower. When her sapphire blue eyes met his, he couldn't help the sigh of longing that came out of his mouth. He was ready for this curse to be over, and with any luck, it might be broken tonight.

"You look amazing," he said huskily.

Her eyes racked over him. He wore a simple black and white tuxedo with a silver mask. "You do, too. You clean up really well." She replied with a smile. "So what do you think? Is everything ready for tonight?"

"I think you've outdone yourself. The investors should be pleased."

"Good. But that's not who I was hoping to please…"

He immediately got her meaning and lightly touched her wrist. "I am pleased, I just…have to be careful, Mina. You know that."

"I know," she sighed. "But hopefully not for too much longer. How _are_ things going on that end, anyway?"

"Depends on who you ask. All of us can agree that it's going better than a few weeks ago. But…not well enough for him to…" he looked around to make sure that they weren't in hearing range of any of the wait staff. "Tell her the truth. Tonight."

If Kunzite was hoping to shock Mina, he was severely disappointed. His statement didn't even phase her, but what she said to him did. "Well, this is going to be fun. Considering, she already knows."

* * *

Barely ten minutes into the ball and Jadeite was already wishing that it were over. He hated wearing tuxes, and honestly, he was tired of schmoozing with these investors. Hadn't he already done enough of that over the last three months trying to put this deal together with the others? The icing on the cake though was when he had finally extracted himself from one of the investors who had cornered him, and gotten himself something to drink he looked out onto the dance floor and felt his heart stop beating. For on the dance floor was a vision of fire. Raye was out there looking to die for in a flame red gown with a neckline that plunged way further down than was appropriate. Her raven black hair was done up in a perfect chignon with a few pieces floating down to frame her face. Not that it needed to be framed considering the mask she wore. It looked like a butterfly from where Jadeite was standing, a black butterfly with red gemstones on the tips of its wings. It was beautiful.

And it was also in the arms of another. Something that made him very jealous. So jealous, that he didn't even wait for his drink, but instead strode across the dance floor to interrupt. He tapped the gentleman on his shoulder and with only a raised eyebrow cut into the dance. He was not someone to be denied right now.

"Raye," he growled.

"Jadeite," she replied back with a small smile on her face. "You look quite handsome."

"Cut the act. What were you thinking dressing like that?"

"What? This is a masquerade dance, isn't it? It's not like my outfit is inappropriate for the occasion."

"You know damn well it is," his voice was stern as he twirled her around the floor. "I'm barely keeping it together as it is, and to see you dressed like _that_ and in some other guy's arms is _not_ helping the situation!"

"I'm sorry," she replied after a beat. "I didn't realize…"

"No, don't apologize," he said his voice somewhat normal. "I'm the one who's sorry. You're right, you shouldn't have to change the way you dress just because I'm an asshole who can't control himself."

"But it's not your fault. It's the work of the curse…"

"True and thank god it's almost over."

"What do you mean?"

"C'mon, Raye, you can't tell me that you didn't talk to Serenity about what's been going on between her and Endymion? How they decided to start over and that it's going really well?"

"Of course, I know that, but what does that have to do with the curse being almost over?"

"It's going so well, that Endymion is going to tell Serenity the truth tonight. The whole truth, including how he feels about her."

This didn't get quite the reaction that Jadeite had been expecting from her. She didn't even seem phased by it. He looked at the raven-haired beauty for a few moments waiting for her to say something. When she didn't he had to ask. "Raye, why aren't you more excited or surprised by this?"

"Honestly?" She asked. "Because, Serenity already knows the truth about the curse." Jadeite stopped dancing in the middle of the floor, causing her to miss a step and stumble into him. He caught her with ease and she looked up at him, especially at the tight way he was holding her. It wasn't an intimate hold. He was angry about something.

"What do you mean, she knows?" He hissed.

"Exactly what I said. She knows everything." He let go of her shoulders for a second before grabbing her hand to drag her off the dance floor. Raye went only to not cause a scene and waited until they left the ballroom before she snatched her hand away. "What is the matter with you?" She seethed. "You think you'd be happy to know that she knows the truth. I mean, everything rides on her now." He didn't say anything in response and just kept walking away from the party, she barely was able to keep up in her heals and long train of her gown.

"Jadeite, where are you going?" But he didn't answer her. Not until he stalked into the kitchen and froze at the door. Raye bumped into him again and peered around him to see what the commotion was. It was Lita, Amy, Nephrite and Zoicite. They were all wearing aprons with smiles on their faces, and there was a smudge of flour on Zoicite's nose and in Nephrite's hair.

"Well, it looks like you guys are having your own party," Jadeite broke the silence and walked deeper into the kitchen so that Raye didn't have to keep hanging out by the door.

"What are you guys doing here?" Nephrite asked as he took a towel to his hair.  
"Oh, no, did something go wrong with the waiters? I _knew_ I should have handled this!" Lita exclaimed and took off her apron revealing the dress she had on underneath. Raye, who had seen the dress she had picked out earlier, was still shocked to how beautiful it was. It was a strapless gown that was tight through the bodice but flowed out in small tiers at the waist. The bodice also had a wrapped look to it and was darker green but the colors lightened as it got closer to the bottom.

"No, that's not it," Jadeite shook his head and put up a hand to stop Lita from advancing. "Trust me, the food is great and everyone loves it. The waiters are doing an amazing job. That's not what the problem is."

"Then what's the problem?" Zoicite asked as he took off his apron revealing a gray suit underneath.

"The problem is…" he paused as the kitchen door opened behind him. He didn't want any of the waiters overhearing about the curse, but when he looked back it was Mina and Kunzite.

"We saw you two leave the dance floor and figured we'd see what was going on," Kunzite explained. "What is going on?"

"I don't know," Nephrite replied. "Jadeite was just about to tell us about this problem we have."

"Oh, does it have anything to do with…" he exchanged a look with the blonde and nodded in understanding.

"Anyone else feeling left out here?" Amy commented.

"Right," Jadeite began again. "The problem is, Serenity knows."

"Serenity knows," the brunette repeated. "What does she know?"

Jadeite didn't bother to answer. Neither did Kunzite. Nephrite was puzzled and it wasn't until a few minutes of the Look that Zoicite finally got it. "Wait. Do you mean she _know_ knows?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean."

"How is that possible?" Nephrite exploded. "She wasn't supposed to find out! Endymion was going to tell her everything!"

"Seriously, who told her?" Zoicite asked.

"I don't know. Ask them." Jadeite pointed at the four girls who were standing together and had the decency to look sheepish.

"You guys told her?!" Nephrite and Zoicite both exclaimed.

"Not intentionally," Lita admitted with a shrug.

"What do you mean not intentionally?"

"Well, to be honest, she was really close to figuring it all out anyway. You forget she's very smart and Endymion sure didn't help things." The guys didn't say anything and waited for them to go on.

"Apparently, my brother – the smooth guy that he is – watched his favorite Disney movie with Serenity a few nights ago. And do you happen to know what movie is his favorite?"

"I don't know," Jadeite replied. " _The Lion King_?"

"No, you idiot, _Beauty and the Beast_."

"Okay, I still don't understand how she could have figured it out from that," Zoicite said.

"Think about it, Zoicite," Amy replied. "It's about a prince who gets cursed by a witch for his selfish ways."

"Then Endymion admitted that he could relate to the Beast," Lita chipped in.

"And my last name is Pots."

"So?" Nephrite asked. "I still don't see how she made the connection."

"You forget," Raye replied. "She was in Endymion's bedroom a few weeks ago. She saw the rose. She saw it glow."

"Shit," Jadeite mumbled. "No wonder. With all those variables her brain was probably on overdrive. She must have thought that she was…"

"Crazy?" Lita supplied. "Yes, and when she told us, we _tried_ to play it off as just something in her head, but, she just wouldn't let it go."

"So we told her."

"And how did she take it?" Jadeite asked. "Was she happy? Sad? Shocked? In denial?"

"Well…" Mina replied. "That's the thing. She had this expression on her face that I can't really describe and she sat there for a few minutes before saying 'oh' and then looking at some more dresses."

"Okay, but that was what? Two days ago? Have any of you spoken to her since?" Kunzite asked.

"She seemed all right earlier," Raye shrugged. "In fact, she looked downright amazing. I'm not sure what my brother is going to do when he sees her later."

"Actually," Lita said looking at the clock on the oven. "She should be making her appearance, right about now. C'mon, let's go see what happens." The eight left the kitchen in a swirl of taffeta and flour. They made it into the ballroom just as the band was in between songs. The crowd had vacated the dance floor and was milling about the various tables. Endymion was at the bar with a drink in hand looking around the room. He looked like he was just taking everything in, but the others knew that he was looking for someone.

"Where is she?" Zoicite muttered. "She should have made it out here by now."

"You don't think she ran, do you?" Nephrite whispered back.

"Stop it, you two!" Amy hissed. "Serenity isn't like that!"  
"How do you know?" Zoicite asked. "You haven't known her all that long."

"Yes, but _I_ have," Raye and Lita said together. "And Serenity isn't the type to run."

"Hey," Mina interrupted. "Look, at the top of the stairs!" Everyone – and indeed it was everyone – turned their gaze to the staircase in the middle of the ballroom and stared. At the top, was a beauty. Serenity was in a black gown with thick straps and a v cut neckline. The bodice looked like it was made of lace, but the girls (mostly Mina) were pretty sure that it was an illusion. The gown's skirt was slightly pleated and didn't inch out as much as Lita or Amy's. Her golden hair was mostly up in a bun except for some tendrils that shaped her face and brought attention to the mask she wore. It was a simple black curly cue of design with a few crystals to establish it from the others. It was Serenity to a T. The girls were so happy for her, and were all waiting with abated breath to see what Endymion thought about her.

* * *

Endymion was in awe. He had known of Serenity's beauty before – God knows – but this was a whole other level of beauty. She was ethereal. She was grace. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest with the knowledge that after tonight she could be his forever. Or, if he wasn't so lucky, she could be lost to him forever – which wouldn't be that long for him anyway. He shakily took a drink from his glass before putting it back on the counter and walking forward towards the stairs. She reached the bottom just as he reached it and looked up into her shocked eyes.

"May I have this dance, fair maiden?" He asked as he offered his hand.

She let out a small giggle – oh how he loved that sound – and put her hand into his the usual spark of _something_ flaring between them at the contact. "You may," she said her voice low. He lead her out onto the dance floor, as the rest of the crowd watched in awed silence, the band coming back from a small break played something sweet and slow. He pulled her into his arms and they began to waltz their way across the floor. Other couples soon joined them and the party continued.

Endymion was reveling in the feel of having Serenity back in his arms. It had been a while – since their dates had only consisted of handholding and the smallest of kisses – and he forgot how much he missed it. "You look beautiful," he whispered to her as he brought her in close for a dip.

"Thank you," she replied on her way back up. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"This old thing?" He asked with a smirk on his face. "To be honest I haven't worn it since the last event like this, which was a very long time ago." The black tux was classic and the red rose boutonnière was too. He'd gone a little bit more adventurous with his mask. It was silver and looked ordinary except for the two gargoyles that were located above his eyes. It looked intimidating, but it fit him to a T.

"The mask too?" She asked with a hint of amusement.

"No, that's new," he replied. The music came to an end and they stepped away from each other and off the floor. He was getting ready to lead her away to somewhere a little bit more secluded so that way he could really talk to her, when one of the investors came scurrying up to his side.

"Mr. Chiba, a moment, if you please?" He asked.

He sighed and looked with regret to the blonde. "Go," she replied. "This is a party to celebrate your company's accomplishments after all."

"But I was really hoping to talk to you," he said.

"I'll be around," she said with a smile and a wave as she disappeared amongst the crowd. Endymion sighed again and turned to the investor hoping that this wouldn't take up too much of his time. He really needed to talk to Serenity and the sooner he did it, the sooner he'd know whether or not he would be able to live.

* * *

It was close to midnight, as Serenity made another lap around the room with Raye at her side. The last they had looked, Endymion was talking to yet another investor and she was getting rather tired of waiting. She knew that he wanted to talk to her about _something_ although she had a good idea of what that something was, and she wanted to talk to him. She had a lot to say. But every time she turned around, there was another person (investor, coworker, etc.) attached to his side talking his ear off. She thought that with a masquerade dance, it would have been harder for these people to find him in the crowd, but apparently she wasn't the only one who knew him on sight masked or not.

"I'm thinking about calling it a night," she whispered to her friend. "I can't keep standing here in these shoes and if I have to fend off one more guy asking for a dance or whether or not I'm Serenity Tsukino I'm going to scream."

"Give him five more minutes," Raye pleaded. "If I have to I'll punch out the next investor who even tries to approach him. You two really need to talk. Tonight."

She sighed knowing that her friend was right. "Okay. I'm giving him five minutes, but if he's not here I'm going to my room." They kept walking, but only for a few seconds before someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around prepared to give her, "no, I'm not interested," spiel, when her eyes landed on the gargoyles on his mask.

"Come on," he said and she followed him out of the ballroom and outside into the fresh cool air. It may have been May – with summer right around the corner – but it was still rather chilly out at night. Serenity felt the cold immediately and goose bumps erupted on her skin. Endymion shrugged out of his tux jacket and put it around her shoulders before he led her to a secluded area out on the balcony.

"This mansion astounds me everyday," she whispered as she took in the little area. She had no idea that this was here.

"It is rather a large place," he replied. "But that's not what we should be talking about."

"Oh, and what is it that you wanted to discuss with me?"

With a strangled sigh and a hand thrown through his hair, Endymion was at a loss of how to start. "There's something I've been wanting to tell you, but I wasn't sure how to. Or how you would take it. But I think, you might be ready now."

"Ready for what?"

"The truth," she cocked her head to the side and signaled for him to continue. "Okay, I'm not sure how best to start this, so I'm going to start from the beginning. On a March night two years ago…"

Serenity listened to his story without showing any emotion or interrupting. It was actually kind of nerve-wracking for him, he had no idea what she was feeling. But it had to be a good thing that she hadn't walked away yet. Right? At the end of his tale, he paused and waited for her to ask any questions. He wasn't disappointed.

"And why did you think I was ready _now_ for the truth?"

"Because you've gotten to know me, warts and all, and you didn't run then. I'm hoping that you won't run now." He took in a deep breath knowing the next big revelation was coming. "And…I'm hoping that you really are the one who will break this curse, because if I learned anything from the last few months, Serenity, it's that I can't live without you. I love you."

Serenity had to bite her lip to keep the tears within her at bay. It was a huge romantic gesture, and she didn't want to leave him in suspense. But sometimes things aren't meant to be.

Just as she opened her mouth to end his torment, and hopefully break the curse that was on him and the others in the household, they heard screams from the ballroom. Endymion jumped up and ran towards where they had exited and came across Kunzite waiting for him.

"What's going on?" He asked when he noticed the grave look on his friend's face. "What's with all the screaming?"

"Where's Serenity?" She peeked out from behind Endymion.

"What's going on?"

"You both need to see this." He turned and walked into the room, Serenity and Endymion on his heals. He stopped a few feet from the center of the floor and what they saw there shocked them both. It was Sapphire, only his clothes were stained with blood and one of his eyes was swollen shut. There were bruises almost on every inch. Zoicite was over him, trying to figure out the extent of it when they approached.

"How did he get here?" Endymion asked.

"He crawled in," Kunzite replied. "He has a message for you, Serenity."

She looked surprised as she took a step forward before kneeling next to him. "Sapphire?" She whispered.

"Serenity?"

"Yes, it's me."

"I have to warn you," he croaked. "Diamond…" he coughed. "Diamond has your father. And unless you go to his home by tomorrow afternoon, you'll never see him again."


	10. Chapter 9: Torches and Pitchforks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Sailor Moon. I do not own Beauty and the Beast. I do not own the song "Evil in the Night" by Adam Lambert. This story is rated M for a reason, mostly because of language and violence in this chapter. Read on!

_Hey, I can tell your heart's cold_   
_Like a fallen angel walking in your sleep_   
_I guess you're just a lost soul_   
_But when the moon comes out you turn into a beast_   
_Keep me on a leash tonight_   
_There's nowhere for me to hide_   
_See you on the other side_   
_My life flashed before my eyes_   
_Razor blade lips and daggers up in your eyes_   
_Baby, your love is crime_   
_Danger by day, but you're evil in the night_

  
_~Evil in the Night ~Adam Lambert_

* * *

What happened next was a blur. Serenity didn't even see when Zoicite appeared on the scene and took stock of Sapphire's injuries and had two of the other guys help him take Sapphire upstairs so that way they could patch him up. Endymion must have gone with them, because when she looked up Jadeite was the only one by her side. He shot her a sympathetic glance and helped her up. The ballroom was now empty of any guests and she could only assume that due to the commotion that they had left for the evening.

_I bet this wasn't what Endymion had in mind for tonight's ending_ , she couldn't help but think as she was escorted out of the room. Raye and Amy were there to take her from Jadeite and he soon left them to go check on the others. The two women didn't fuss too much around Serenity, which she was thankful for. Even though she knew she must be a mess. Her dress had somehow gotten into some of Sapphire's blood, but then again it was black and hopefully it didn't show as easily…

_Get your head on straight, Serenity_ she chastised herself. Her whole word had just been turned upside down again in less than twenty-four hours. First, she had learned that she was living in a very dark and twisted version of _Beauty and the Beast_ and then she found out that Endymion did in fact love her. It wasn't just a drunken after thought, like she had previously believed. And now, just when she was ready to break the curse on him and to maybe – finally – get her happy ending after all these years… Diamond just had to interfere _again_.

Raye and Amy helped her out of her dress and pushed her towards the shower, and when that hot water cascaded over her it felt divine. It also helped to clear her head. Diamond had her father. Diamond was using her father to get her out of hiding again, so he could do who knew what. Because if there was anything that Serenity had learned with their last encounter, it was the fact that Diamond was capable of anything. And he didn't care if he hurt her while doing it. Just as long as she was his. So what the hell was she going to do about it? She couldn't go in guns blazing trying to find her father because unlike last time, she knew that she was _definitely_ walking into a trap.

But she wasn't going to let him suffer at the hands of a madman either. So what was she going to do? She should talk it over with Endymion, but he was probably overlooking Zoicite's work on Sapphire and maybe trying to get more information from him about what exactly had happened. How had her father been taken? Where was his security? Serenity turned off the water and toweled herself off before slipping into the fresh clothes that either Amy or Raye had left for her.

When she walked out of the bathroom, her room was thankfully empty. She didn't even hesitate as she went for the door and down the stairs into the main hall. She went straight for the room that she had been in only once since she had been in Chiba Manor. And that was the room that she had met Endymion in all those months ago. His study. She knew that he wasn't going to be in there, but she also knew that eventually he would leave Zoicite to his work. That and this was where the good liquor was. And after everything that had happened that night, Serenity was in desperate need of a drink. She took a glass decanter from the drink car and went without a glass before settling down to wait in his chair.

* * *

Endymion hovered by the doorway of one of the guest rooms as Zoicite got to work on the man that was currently on the bed. The multiple lacerations on Sapphire's skin were the first that the auburn haired man attended to. Some of them were merely scratches, but others were dangerously deep. The bruises, Endymion knew, could not be dealt with other than with some ice. The swollen eye was the same.

His other friends hovered around the bed not sure what to do. Out of all the possible ways they thought the evening was going to end, this was definitely not one of them. Endymion was about to leave and go check on the blonde whose whole world had just been turned upside down, when a coughing fit from the bed made him stop.

"Mr. Chiba?" A weak voice sounded.

He stepped closer. "Mr. Reynolds?"

"I'm sorry," he replied. "I should have known, that even if he had been stopped before, he would stop at nothing to get what he wants. You can't let her go. He will kill her."

Endymion sighed and ran a hand through his already rustled hair. "I know." But…would she ever forgive him if he let her father die?

"Good. It's a…" Sapphire began to cough and Endymion stepped back so that way Zoicite could investigate the cause. Another hacking sound, and this time blood began to bubble over the man's mouth. The auburn haired man looked up with a grave look.

"He's bleeding internally, we have to get him to a hospital or else he's going to die."

"Take the chopper," Endymion replied and stepped further aside as Zoicite, along with Nephrite and Kunzite carried Sapphire's body out of the room as fast as they could. When they were gone, Endymion slumped as his mind continued to work. Diamond had Serenity's father and was threatening to kill him unless she showed up to her father's house by tomorrow afternoon. Obviously, he couldn't let her go, but on the other hand this wasn't like last time where the only thing she would lose was her company. This time she would lose her father. He ran his hand through his hair again and pulled to get his brain in gear.

He needed to come up with a way for Serenity to get her father back without giving up herself in return. Because he couldn't lose her again, especially when… Well, he loved her, but she hadn't given him an answer before Sapphire had interrupted the party. God, how had things gotten so messed up? He needed time to think. He needed to see her and check in with her. But above all else the thing he really needed was a drink.

With that in mind he left the guest room and made his way down to his study. He could have probably stepped into the ballroom and taken what was left at the makeshift bar they had set up for the dance, but they were probably cleaning up right now. And he didn't want to be around anyone. He wanted to be by himself…okay. Not really. He really wanted to be with Serenity, but after everything that had happened that night, he was pretty sure she didn't want to see him.

When he opened the door to his study, he was surprised to find the woman he had just been thinking of already there. And sitting in his chair with a decanter of bourbon in front of her. Knowing that that bottle had recently been filled, he was kind of shocked to find a good portion of it already missing. Meaning that Serenity had been there for a while, and she had been drinking alone.

He didn't know how to proceed with this because since she had been in this house, he never had seen Serenity drunk. He had no idea what her tolerance for alcohol was, and he was actually pretty afraid to find out. What if she told him something that he didn't want to hear? What if… He had lingered by the doorway too long, for her cornflower blue eyes were on him. And he was happy to see that the cloud of alcohol had not glazed them over.

She was still sober.

"I heard the chopper take off a few minutes ago," she said, her voice perfectly clear. "Did Sapphire's condition worsen?"

"Yes, he started coughing up blood," he replied and moved to take a seat across from her. It was weird to see things from this side of the desk. Serenity looked like she belonged at the head and he was somewhat fearful of what else she was going to say to him. "So Zoicite and the others took him to the hospital." He reached across the desk and took the decanter.

"So…Diamond has my father."

He swallowed. "Diamond has your father," he repeated dully.

"He's trying to bring me out again," Serenity continued. Repeating facts that he already knew. "If I don't go, he's going to kill him."

"I know." He took another swig.

"So what are we going to do?"

"You're actually asking me?" He asked shocked.

She shrugged. "Well, considering my last meeting with him went so well…I figured you might have a plan."

"Except I don't." Their eyes met as he swallowed down another mouthful of bourbon. The alcohol wasn't doing anything to help. Not that it ever did. But he had hoped the burn would take some of the edge off of this moment. He had a question for Serenity, but he was too afraid to ask it. Knowing that she had other things on her mind other than what she felt towards him. But for once in his life he was at a loss of what to do. He couldn't send Serenity to her father's house, knowing that Diamond was definitely there waiting for her. But he couldn't not send her either. Because if she didn't go then her father was dead and Endymion knew that she would never forgive him. He was stuck in a no win situation and he didn't like it. Not one bit.

"God, this sucks," Serenity said and snatched the bottle from him and took a sip herself. "Do you ever stop and wonder when did our lives get so fucking complicated?"

He snorted. "Every day for the last three years." She passed him back the bottle. He took another drink, as it was going down his throat he knew that he was going to have to do something hard. He was going to have to let her go.

"Serenity…" he started as she took the bottle back from him. She stopped with the bottle half way to her lips a look of concern in her eyes. It was like she already knew from the sound of his voice what he was going to say next. "You have to go."

She lowered the bottle to the desk so that way it wouldn't shatter. She looked at him full on with confusion in her eyes. "You want me to go? To my father's house?"

"Yes," he replied. He got up from his seat and made his way around the huge oak desk that separated the two of them. He spun the chair towards him and got down so that way they were eye level. So she could see the pain of what he was about to do. "You have to go and save your father. You won't forgive yourself if you don't try. You won't forgive _me_ if I don't let you go. I can live with a lot of things, Serenity, but I won't be able to live with myself if I let your father die. So you have to go."

She searched his eyes for there to be a catch, but she knew that he was telling the truth. Despite how much that this was killing him, he was letting her go so that she could save her father. "You know that if I do this, I won't be coming back. He's probably…" she trailed off too horrified to think about what Diamond was going to do when he finally got her.

Endymion's forehead came to a rest against her own and he took in a deep breath before letting it go. "I know that there is a chance that you might not come back. I hate that, Serenity, you have no idea how much I hate that. But I also know you. If you can find a way to get out of it and come back," the _to me_ was left implied in the air, "You will. And I'm hoping and praying to any god that will still hear the prayer of a condemned man that you are going to make it out of this alive. That you have some crazy trick up your sleeve that will get you out of all of this alive."

Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears, knowing that he had thought this through and as much as he hated it, he was going to let her go. To save her father. And if they were lucky, to save herself. She pushed back against his forehead. "Thank you," she whispered.

Endymion couldn't resist one last twist of the knife he was putting into his own heart. He leaned down and captured Serenity's lips with his own. It was soft and full of need and full of longing that they both had for each other. And for Endymion it was full of hope that she would find her way back to him.

* * *

Raye couldn't find Serenity anywhere and she was nervous. The last time that had happened she had snuck out of the Manor and had been taken by Diamond. She was hoping that Serenity had just wandered off to find her brother, but she had searched her brother's room and had come up empty. Her next plan of attack was her brother's study, and as she made her way down the stairs, she knew that her instincts were right. She heard voices coming from the study and stopped near the door to listen in. But they were talking too low for her to make out words.

Then there was silence and Raye started to believe it was time for her to wander off. Obviously Serenity was safe, she didn't have to worry about her if she was still in the house. Just as she was stepping away, the door to Endymion's study opened and Serenity came rushing out. She was going so fast that she didn't even notice Raye standing there. But Raye saw her and saw the tears coming down her cheeks. What had her brother done?

She slipped inside and found him sitting in his chair with a bottle of bourbon in front of him. It was half gone. His head was in his hands and when he looked up at her entrance, she could see that there was turmoil in his gaze too. Whatever had happened had left a mark on both of them.

"What did you do?" Raye asked. "I saw Serenity run out of here with tears running down her cheeks."

"She was crying?" He asked an emotional lilt to his voice.

"Yes, she was. But I'm asking, why?"

"Because I let her go."

"You… _what_?" Raye collapsed into a seat not sure if she had heard her brother right. It sounded like he said…

"I. Let. Her. Go." He enunciated each word.

"I thought that's what you said," she mumbled and put her head in her hands. "And why would you do that? You know that if she goes to that house there is a good chance that she is going to be killed."

"I know!" Endymion roared. "Don't you think I fucking know that, Raye? But what else am I supposed to do? I can't let her stay because then her father will die and she'll never forgive me. It's a no win situation. So I went with an option that I hope will beat the odds and win."

"You're not making any sense."

"Serenity grew up in that house, Raye," he calmly explained. "I'm hoping that she knows a way in that won't have her noticed so she can get her father and then get out before Diamond even knows what hit him."

"And if she doesn't, you've lost her forever."

"Forever? More like three months." Was his sarcastic reply.

Raye looked up, startled. She had never heard her brother sound this defeated before in her life. Not even when their mother died and left them to deal with their father alone. Not even when their father died and left her nothing in the will. He had found a way through all of that. But now…

"You've given up." It wasn't even a statement and he didn't even bother to look at her. "You've given up and this is disgusting. The brother I know wouldn't give up. He would find a way to win even if the odds were stacked against him. But you…you've given up and don't care. You're going down and you don't care who else you take with you."

"Don't you get it, Raye?" Endymion scoffed. "The witch might have cursed all of us in the house, but that was her greatest loophole. She only said that _I_ had to break the curse on everyone, and if I couldn't by my twenty-fifth birthday, I would be the only one to die. Your precious Jadeite is safe. As is Kunzite, Zoicite, and Nephrite. Maybe it will be better for all of them when I'm gone. I'm the one who got them into this in the first place." He turned back to the fire not seeing the appalled look on his sister's face.

"You're a fucking idiot," she muttered. "You are my brother, you don't think I care about you too? I want all five of you to be safe and you still can be. You just have to fight for her, damn it!"

It was like talking to a brick wall though. Endymion was too far deep into his depression to even acknowledge what his sister had said. With a disgusted snort, she turned on her heal to walk away, when she thought of something else. "Where are the other guys anyway?"

"They went to the hospital with Sapphire. He started coughing up blood."

She only nodded before walking away and not bothering to look back.

* * *

Serenity ran up to her room to grab her purse. Endymion had let her go and as much as she wanted to hate him for it, she understood why. Her father was in danger and even though they both knew that it was a trap set by Diamond, Endymion knew that if she didn't go her father would die and she would never forgive him for not trying to save him. But that didn't make it any easier for both of them to walk away from each other.

There was one thing though that he was right about. There might be one last crazy trick that she had up her sleeve. In her father's house she had always learned to sneak out through the kitchen door. It was the one spot in the whole house that the security cameras never covered. If that was still the case then she could sneak in and get her dad and get the hell out before Diamond even knew what hit him. And then she could be on her way back…to Endymion.

But first she had to get there. After their kiss, Endymion had given her back her car keys and told her where to find the car before the emotions had gotten too much and she got the heck out of there. She didn't like goodbyes and for some reason that one was the hardest of them all.

She found her purse just where she had left it when she had first moved in and she found a pair of tennis shoes to put on her feet. She was all set to go. The only thing left was for her to hope for a miracle.

She ran into Raye on her way back downstairs. The raven-haired beauty looked mad, but it didn't stop her from going in for a hug. "You are crazy," she told her blonde-haired friend. "You know this is probably going to get you killed. What did your father ever do to make you do this for him?"

"It's not what he did," she replied. "It's what my mother did. She told me to always do what was right. And rescuing my dad is the right thing to do. He shouldn't have to pay the price when I'm the one that Diamond wants."

"He's too good for you, Sere. This is the third time he's gotten into trouble and you've had to come and bail his ass out. You better come back, or else I'm going to go after him myself."

Serenity popped her head to the side and looked at her friend. "I'm surprised you haven't tried to come with me yet."

"I know you won't let me, despite how many times I'll beg. So I'm saving my breath. I'm hoping the sooner you go, the sooner you'll come back because he won't be expecting you just yet. So go and come back to us. My brother is a wreck without you."

Serenity smiled before hugging her friend one last time. When they parted she made her way down the rest of the stairs and towards the back of the house where the garages were located. Raye was right about one thing. Maybe she could surprise attack Diamond. There was no guarantee that he would be timing her on when she would show up and because she was leaving now instead of in the morning… She breathed out. She had to stop thinking of what if scenarios. She wouldn't know what the deal was until she got there and she needed to stay focused. Because there was a certain guy that she was going to try and make it back home to.

* * *

It only took Kunzite twenty minutes to reach the nearest hospital and land. Zoicite had called ahead and there were a team of doctors waiting for their arrival with a gurney ready to transport Sapphire. He went directly into surgery and the rest of the guys could only wait around to see what would happen next. Jadeite and Nephrite wanted to get back to the house to see how things were going because they were of no use just sitting there. But on the other hand, did they really want to go home and see World War Three? Because they knew that some sort of decision was going to be made between Endymion and Serenity about whether or not she was going to rescue her father. And they remembered what had happened last time when it was her company at stake.

So, they stuck around and stayed in contact with the girls who gave them updates about what was going on at the mansion. When all four agreed that things had been relatively quiet the guys got a little bit concerned. Shouldn't Serenity and Endymion have duked it out by now? Or had they really matured since that last fight? They didn't know what to think and sat in silence for a while until two things happened at once.

The doctor who had taken Sapphire into surgery emerged from the OR and Jadeite dropped his phone with a curse that made the mother and daughter also waiting in the room look up in alarm. Zoicite went to go talk to the doctor while throwing a questioning glance towards the blonde, while Kunzite and Nephrite asked what was wrong.

"He gave up," Jadeite replied. "Endymion gave her up."

"What?!" Both men exclaimed in unison.

"Raye just texted me. Endymion and Serenity had their conversation and Raye somehow came in on the end of it. When she approached the study Serenity left in tears. Raye went to go talk to her brother and he told her what they had discussed. It's a no-win situation and Endymion played right into Diamond's hands. He let Serenity go rescue her father."

It took a few moments for the words to sink in, but when they did both men sat back in their seats in defeat because they knew what it meant. The only way the curse was going to be broken was if Serenity returned from Diamond's clutches. The odds weren't in Endymion's favor, which meant that their friend was going to die.

Zoicite came back from talking with the doctor and looked somewhat happy before he saw the look on the others faces. "What happened?"

"Did he make it?" Jadeite asked instead.

"Yes, they stopped the bleeding and he's waking up now from the anesthesia. We can go talk to him if we want." Zoicite glanced at each of the guys and was instantly worried. Despite his good news they still looked like the world was ending.

"I think we need to talk to him," Kunzite replied. "He was too injured to really tell us anything more than that Diamond had Serenity's father and if she didn't go to him by the afternoon tomorrow he was going to kill him." He got up from his seat and walked towards the hospital rooms. Zoicite directed him to the room number and all four men walked into Sapphire's room.

The steady beeping of machines was the only noise, and at first they didn't think he was actually awake. But upon their entrance he glanced to the door and did a double take before he settled on them. "And who…exactly…are you?" His speech was slightly slurred, from the drugs getting out of his system, and Zoicite took the lead.

"I'm Zoicite, this is Jadeite, Nephrite, and Kunzite," he pointed to each man in turn. "We're business partners and close friends of Endymion Chiba. We're the ones who brought you to the hospital."

"I see. Thank you."

"It was the least we could do, but we were hoping that we could talk to you about what happened."

"You mean…with my brother?"

"Yes."

Sapphire sighed and readjusted himself in the bed. "Well…he knew somehow…that I was the one…who called Endymion about his original plan. He cornered me at the bar that I own and knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, I was in some dark place and Kenneth was there too. He beat me for betraying our brotherly bond, and told me that I would make it up to him." He paused, not realizing his voice had gotten stronger as he told his tale.

"The beatings are all such a blur, but I think the last one, he told me what I was to do for him. He was going to take me to the Chiba Manor and I was going to go inside and tell Serenity that Diamond had her father. That he would kill him if she didn't show up by the afternoon…" Sapphire's brow furrowed.

"You said something about a trap before you started coughing up blood," Zoicite gently prodded.

Jadeite snorted. "Well, that's obvious, isn't it? Diamond is using this as a trap to get Serenity."

"That's not exactly what I meant," Sapphire explained. "It was a trap, but not for Serenity."

All four men froze. "What do you mean?" Nephrite asked.

"Diamond knew that as long as Endymion was alive, then he could never have a place in Serenity's heart. That she would never truly be his alone. So he did set a trap for Serenity to lure her out of the house and keep her away until he was done with his task."

"His task?"

"Yes, his true trap. To get all four of you out of the house, so that way he could be alone with Endymion. So he could kill him."

* * *

Serenity was surprised at how quickly she had made it to her father's home. She thought for sure that it would take as long as it did to get from Chiba Manor into the city. But within an hour she was pulling up to her father's street. She parked her car a few houses down so as not to arise anyone's suspicions and got out of her car.

She hadn't had to sneak back into her father's home since she was a senior in high school and hoped that nothing had changed too much for her to do so as she walked up the street. She paused at the border that separated her father's house from that of his next-door neighbor's, and peeked out. There was no one watching the gate and there was no one on the street. She didn't blame them considering it was almost five in the morning.

With a talent that she hadn't used in a few years, she jumped and grabbed a section of the dividing wall before lifting herself up and into a crouch. Her left arm protested at the motion. It was still somewhat weak from getting the cast off only a few days before. She stood slowly to retain her balance and when she was upright solidly, she walked across the expanse of wall until she recognized the oak tree that she used to get in and out during her late nights.

Very carefully she lowered herself into another crouch and grabbed onto the sturdy tree branch below her. Once her hold on the branch was secured she dropped down. Her hold on the tree branch stopped her from tumbling to the ground, but her left arm was on fire from the action.

"Note to self," she muttered. "Next time don't do this when your arm is freshly healed from a broken bone and separated shoulder." She gritted her teeth and then very slowly began to make her way towards the tree trunk. When she was at an acceptable distance to the ground that she knew wouldn't break her neck, she let go and fell to the ground below.

Her boots took the impact of the fall and she stood to make sure that everything was in working order. Except for her arm, she seemed to be fine. Serenity then took a few steps away from the tree trunk she was hiding behind and glanced around. There was no one in sight and there was no sign of her father installing any new cameras since she had last used this exit. With that in mind she quickly walked over to the backdoor that lead to the kitchen.

She turned the knob – not surprised that Haruna hadn't locked it after all these years – and made her way into the kitchen. She was in.

The kitchen was dark and there were things in it that she didn't quite remember, but she wasn't too surprised. It had been a while since she had set foot in this house. The easy part was behind her. Now it was time for the hard part. She had to figure out which room her father was being held in without alerting Diamond to her presence.

She walked swiftly through the house and figured that she'd start with the bedrooms upstairs. The stairs didn't creak as she made her way up the staircase, which she was grateful for. It gave her one less thing to worry about. As she neared the top of the stairs she heard a light murmur of voices near the end of the hall. One of the voices she recognized. It was Diamond and he was coming closer.

Her eyes scanned the hallway nervously looking for a place to hide before he saw her. But there wasn't anywhere. She was too far from the extra rooms. She was caught. Unless…her gaze landed on the corner of the wall that created a sort of alcove before the hallway began. Her mother had placed a couch that didn't quite take up the whole space. There was room for her to squeeze in between and hide until Diamond went down the stairs. It wasn't the best option, but it would have to do.

She dashed to the spot and made herself as small as possible. Footsteps. And then another's voice.

"Do you really think she's going to fall for the same trick twice?"

Diamond chuckled. "Of course she will, because this time she's going to lose her father."

"Yes, but what if she doesn't?"

"Then her father will die and it will haunt her for the rest of her life. Especially when the news comes out that he died in her former bedroom. Longing for the little girl that she used to be."

"You're twisted."

"Tell me something I don't know." Diamond's voice was fainter now and the footsteps sounded farther away. Serenity carefully peeked from her hiding spot and didn't see the two men anywhere. _They must have gone downstairs,_ she thought to herself. If they did, now was her chance to go find her father. And little did Diamond know that he had just made her job a whole lot easier.

She dashed down the hall, until she neared the second to last door on the right. The door was still pink and covered with old posters. Her father really hadn't touched this room since she had left. She clutched the knob in her hand and turned. The door was unlocked and she pushed it open.

The room was dark, but she could still make out the familiar bed, bookcases, vanity and her desk. When her gaze went over the desk that was still cluttered with magazines, her heart stopped. Tied to the computer chair was her father and he was peering at her from the darkness.

"Back for more, Diamond?" He hoarsely asked. "Or are you afraid that another beating is going to kill me?" He coughed.

"Dad?" She rushed to his side. When she neared, she could faintly see that his skin was darker in some places. Had Diamond really beaten her father too?

"Serenity?" His voice sounded surprised. "I didn't…no. You shouldn't be here. If Diamond finds you…"

"I know, which is why he's not going to find me. We're getting out of here, before he comes back." She lent down and started untying the ropes that bound her father to the chair.

"You crazy, sweet girl. I don't deserve you," he said before he had another coughing fit.

"Can you stand?" She asked as she broke through the final knot and the ropes fell away. Ken lifted his hands and rubbed his wrists before lifting himself up to stand. He was slow, but he was moving. Whatever Diamond had done, hadn't been as bad as the beating he had given Sapphire. "Okay, let's go. But be quiet. I'm not sure when they're going to come back."

"They're going to come back when they realized that the kitchen door was open," a familiar voice said from the shadows. Serenity turned in shock and the light flipped on blinding her for a few moments. "Hello, Serenity."

When her vision finally cleared she saw Diamond leaning against the doorframe of her room. His arms crossed and those eyes staring at her with need and victory. "Diamond," she roughly greeted feeling bitter. She thought for sure that she was going to have more time.

"I bet you're wondering how I knew that you were already here, when I wasn't expecting you for a few more hours."

"I bet you're going to tell me." She quipped back.

He smirked. "I'm going to miss that snarkiness when I break you. But yes, you're right I am going to tell you. You see when Rubeus and I went to the kitchen for a quick drink we noticed that the kitchen door was open. Now, Rubeus assured me that on his last patrol that door had been closed, and I remembered back in high school when you used to sneak out of the house you would always sneak back in through the kitchen door. I knew, because I would watch you as you did."

"Well, yay, for you for being my stalker even back then."

His eyes flashed in warning. "Watch what you say, Serenity, because we can make this go down easy or the hard way."

She glared. "Let my father go, Diamond. You got what you wanted. I came for him."

"No, I don't think I will just yet, because my plans aren't quite finished."

"Your plans?"

"Do you really think my big plan was just to lure you here?" Serenity felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She had actually thought that was what his plan was. She had known that this had been a trap to lure her out. Was he really telling her that there was more? "You did. That's sweet, but you're wrong. Sure, I planned to lure you out again, so that way you would be mine, but I learned my lesson last time. This time I will not take chances that someone is coming to rescue you. So I decided to take matters into my own hands when it comes to _him_."

"Him?" She asked confused.

"Yes, _him_ , the one who rescued you last time. The one who I can see you've already given your heart to. Endymion."

The sinking feeling got worse. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," Diamond said with a feral grin. "Yet."

Any control that she had on her emotions snapped. "Don't you fucking dare touch him!"

Diamond's eyes danced with humor. "Oh, such language, my dear, but I'm afraid that you're already too late. I will touch him," he moved closer. "I will do more than touch him." He reached into the waistband of his pants and pulled out a silver pistol. "I will kill him for touching what's mine."

"No!" She cried and lunged for him. To do what, she wasn't quite sure. If she had been sounder in the head and not ruled by her emotions, she would have gone for the gun. But she just lunged and it cost her. Diamond moved out of her reach and smacked her with the butt of the gun, causing her to fall to the ground unconscious.

"Serenity!" Her father exclaimed and rushed to her side. There was a gash on her temple and she was out cold. He glared up at the silver-haired man before him. "You are a monster. I don't know why I ever took you under my wing. To treat her this way!"

"Oh, please, Kenneth, shut up." Diamond rolled his eyes and went to leave the room.

"You won't win, you know. Endymion Chiba is smarter than you."

He turned back around. "He may be smarter than me," he said with a slight snarl to his voice. "But those smarts won't be useful considering what he's just been through."

"And what's that?"

"He lost your daughter, the only thing he's ever loved. I'm doing him a service by putting him out of his misery. The next time Serenity sees me, he will be dead." He walked from the room and slammed the door shut behind him. Ken went to open it again, but it was locked from the outside. He was back to where he started. Only this time his daughter was with him and she was about to lose the man she loved.

* * *

_Endymion was drunk. And he was pretty sure that he was dreaming. Drunk because he had finished off the rest of the bottle of bourbon that Serenity and him had started. Dreaming because the red haired witch was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face._

" _Endymion Chiba, you are even a bigger moron than I originally thought."_

" _Hello, witch, it's nice to see you too," he replied his words slightly slurred._

" _You're drunk," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Of course, you are. You just lost the best thing in your life and you got drunk. And you wonder why I cursed you." She pushed him gently and he fell backwards, landing on something soft._

" _You cursed me because I was a monster."_

" _Was being the operative word, Chiba," she sat next him. "If it wasn't for the fact that my curses are binding, I would remove it from you now. It takes heart to release the one person who could break the curse. I didn't think you had it in you."_

" _Neither did I, but I did. And now she's gone and I probably sent her to her death."_

" _No," the woman shook her head. "You just sent her to another monster. A worse one. The one you sent to death was yourself."_

" _I know."_

" _I don't think you do," she sighed. "Wake up, Endymion and fight. Diamond is coming to kill you."_

" _No. Let me sleep."_

" _Endymion. WAKE UP." She screeched. But he was already falling…falling…_

"ENDYMION. WAKE UP." A female voice screeched near his ear. His eyes fluttered open and he looked up to find a pair of violet eyes looking into his own. Raye. "Thank god," she whispered. "Haven't you heard me yelling for you?"

"No," he murmured his eyes falling closed again. Serenity was gone. He just wanted to sleep.

"Endymion, for the love of…" she slapped him across the face. "Wake up, you ass! Kunzite and the others just called from the hospital, they've been trying to get through for hours. Sapphire woke up and told them that this is all a trap."

"Already…knew that…" his voice was still slurring. But not from being drunk. He was still trying to wake up.

"No. We thought it was a trap for Serenity," Raye said in earnest. "But it's not. It's a trap for _you_."

That got his attention. His eyes snapped open. "A trap for me?"

"Yes," the raven-haired girl breathed in relief that she was finally getting through to her brother. "It wasn't just a trap to get lure Serenity out so that way he could get his hands on her. It was also a trap to get you alone. Diamond is on his way to kill you."

BANG!

Before he could even process this information, a gunshot exploded through the room. Both Raye and him looked up and tried to find the source, but they didn't need to look far. Standing at the doorway with a gun pointed in his direction was the silver-haired devil himself.

"I'm not coming to kill you," he said with a grin. "Because I'm already here. And you're about to die." His finger squeezed the trigger.


	11. Chapter 10: It Ends Tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is rated M for a reason. Mostly because of language, violence and innuendo in this one. I don't own Sailor Moon and I don't own the song "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" by One Direction. Buckle up, folks you're in for a bumpy conclusion.

_Counted all my mistakes and there's only one_  
_Standing out of the list of the things I've done_  
_All the rest of my crimes don't come close_  
_To the look on your face when I let you go_  
_So I built you a house from a broken home_  
_And I wrote you a song with the words you spoke_  
_Yeah it took me some time but I figured out_  
_How to fix up a heart that I let down_  
_~ Where Do Broken Hearts Go ~One Direction_

* * *

Endymion may have been drunk, but at Diamond's appearance and when he saw him squeeze the trigger of the gun that was pointed in their direction, he sobered. And he sobered up quickly. He didn't even think as he pushed his sister to the ground and heard the thwacking sound the bullet made as it wedged itself into the wall behind him. He looked up and found Diamond staring at where they had been in dismay before he lowered the weapon.

"Raye," he whispered. "You need to run. He's not after you."

"You really think he's going to let me escape?" She replied dubiously.

"He will if I cause a distraction."

"A distraction?"

"I told you, he wants _me_." Before Raye could even puzzle out what he was going to do, he stood from the floor and made a direct B-line for the door. This took both Raye and Diamond by surprise. The gun that the white-haired man was holding was still lowered as Endymion came at him. "GO!" Endymion roared at his sister who was frozen. At the word she moved on hands and knees for the door.

Once she was free, Diamond seemed to remember that he had a gun while Endymion had nothing because he raised it and pointed it directly at his chest. "Do you really think it's wise to threaten me, Chiba? I could kill you right here!"

Endymion widened his arms as if in welcome. "Then go ahead."

The gun lowered for a second. Diamond hadn't been expecting the defeated man that stood before him. "Why aren't you putting up more of a fight? Don't you value your own life?"

"What do I have to live for? You've already taken her," he replied knowing that it was the truth. Despite Serenity and his best intentions, she had failed in her mission. Endymion knew that as soon as Diamond appeared waving around the pistol in his hand. Because if she had succeeded, he wouldn't be standing there gloating right now. Instead he would be out for revenge. Although, if Diamond _did_ have Serenity, then why was he here? Raye had explained before, but he couldn't remember…

"Yes, I have already taken her," he said with a wicked smile. "Although I can't believe you'd be so willing to give her up. You must have known what was going to happen? She tried to be so sneaky coming before the deadline, before I even suspected that she would appear, but she was lazy. And I found her." Diamond must have felt confident that Endymion wasn't going anywhere because he began to walk around the study. "I do have to admit that she reminded me a lot of you right now. She seemed so defeated to her fate…until I brought up my plans for you."

"And what are your plans for me, Diamond? You got what you wanted. You have Serenity." The words hurt to say. If it wasn't for the gun pointed at him, he would pummel this sick piece of trash into his wooden desk.

"That's where you're wrong," Diamond said. "I don't have her heart and you know how I know this? Because when I told her my plans for you, she got very protective of you. She tried to take the gun away. She demanded that I not…how did she put it? Oh, yes, 'don't you fucking dare touch him,' is what she said. That told me that you have her heart. That she is in love with _you_."

Endymion couldn't breathe. Out of everything that had happened over the last five hours, he had completely forgotten that Serenity was supposed to break the curse. That she was supposed to answer his question before Sapphire showed up and changed the course of the evening and the rest of his life. But here was his answer, if the white-haired man could be believed. Serenity loved him despite his faults. She loved him. And he…had been a complete and utter idiot in letting her go. He needed to get back to her. But to do that he had to stop the asshole in front of him. With the gun. Who wanted to kill him.

Luckily for him, because of the defeatist attitude he had at Diamond's threat, the guy was being lax with keeping an eye on him. There was something on the desk that had captured his attention, which gave Endymion the opportune moment to escape and get himself a weapon.

"So you decided to kill me, hoping that my death will remove me from her heart?" Endymion asked as he slowly backed towards the door.

"Yes, and so that she realizes that no one is going to rescue her this time."

He took another small step backwards getting closer to his goal. From here he could see the hallway. He just needed Diamond to stay distracted. Another slow, backwards slide of his feet and he was in the hallway looking into his study. Now, he just needed to make a break for it and hope that somewhere along the line he could pick up a weapon.

He turned to flee, but the movement or his silence caused the white-haired man to look up. His eyes flashed dangerously as he lifted the gun and took aim again. But Endymion didn't give him a chance to line up his target, he turned and fled deeper into the mansion.

* * *

Raye sprinted up the stairs to the bedrooms like the hounds of hell were at her heals, and in a way they were, because the white-haired devil himself was in her home. With a gun. And her brother…she couldn't even think about what was going to happen to him. He was depressed about losing Serenity, at his one chance at happiness at staying his execution and then that bastard Diamond shows up with a gun to kill him. He was going to die to protect her. And why not? If Diamond was here that meant the worst had happened.

She made it to the last step and didn't know where to go next. She should lock herself into her bedroom, but what if that wasn't enough? Sure, Diamond was only here for Endymion, but what if he didn't want there to be any witnesses to what he had done and came for her? She flew past her brother's room and was going along the hall when three figures appeared at the end of it.

This caused Raye to come up short. That's right. She _wasn't_ alone in the house. Lita, Amy, and Mina were here with her too. And they didn't know what had happened and who was now downstairs. She jogged up to them and ignored their startled expressions as they took her in. She was sure she was a mess, but she had every reason to be and no time to damper their worries. They needed a plan and they needed it now.

"Raye, what's wrong? We heard a noise come from downstairs…" Lita began and Raye motioned for her to stop talking.

"We have to get out of the hallway. I'll explain everything once we're hidden." Thankfully, all three were good in panic situations because they didn't even ask questions and just moved into the empty guest room at the end of the hall. Once they were all inside, Raye locked the door and kept the lights off. "Quickly. Behind the bed."

The girls did as they were told. Once they were all settled, they turned to Raye expectantly. "The guys were right, Diamond was on his way here to kill my brother. He's downstairs in the study with him now and he's got a gun. He distracted him long enough so that I could get away. But he's still down there…" She took in a deep breath and tried to slow down her racing heart.

"Diamond is here with a gun?" Mina repeated her eyes wide.

"Endymion is still down there with him?" Amy added.

"And that sound we heard earlier?" Lita finally said. "Was a gun shot?"

"Yes," Raye replied. "I don't know what we should do, but we have to do something."

"I'll let the guys know that Diamond is already here and he has a gun. They're on their way back from the hospital and we don't need them walking into whatever mess Diamond has planned." Mina took out her phone and hit Kunzite's number. The phone rang…once…twice…three times before it clicked over to his voicemail. They must have already been en route. She was about to leave him a message when they heard a loud thunk come from the roof.

"What the hell was that?" Raye asked as they all looked to the ceiling. The thunks continued.

"Well, I don't think its Santa Claus," Lita quipped. "And I highly doubt the guys made it back that quickly. So, I'm thinking that Diamond isn't the only one we have to worry about."

* * *

The first thing that she was aware of when she came back to consciousness was her aching head. The second was that there was way too much red in front of her eyes for her liking. Had Diamond really hit her that hard that she was bleeding from her head? And if that was the case then why wasn't she dead? Surely a head injury that bad would have been a death sentence. So surely the red in front of her face wasn't blood, it had to be something else. The only question was, what?

As her eyes started to focus she started noticing that the red wasn't just red, there were also strands of brown. _Strands?_ She thought to herself. The only thing that had strands was hair. Who did she know that had red hair? She turned her head and immediately hissed in pain. That's when the red in front of her eyes disappeared and she instead saw a pair of green eyes.

"Oh, you're awake," the unfamiliar voice said and the person pulled back so that Serenity could actually see what was going on. She was still in her childhood bedroom and from what she could tell she was by the foot of the bed and on the floor. Her father was behind the woman in front of her and seemed to be asleep. His feet and hands were tied with thick pieces of rope. The woman in front of her did in fact have long red hair, but Serenity didn't recognize who she was.

"What-?"

"There'll be time for explanations later," the woman said. "All you need to know is that Diamond has left and is at Endymion's manor with the gun. And he didn't go alone, he took some hired thugs to go with him. Whatever he has planned, is not going to end well, unless you get over there and stop him."

"And how am I supposed to do that? I didn't have much of a chance going up against Diamond when it was just the two of us. Now he has thugs and a gun and he wants to kill…" She couldn't even say his name because the thought of him dead made her heart ache. Besides, Diamond wouldn't have left the house unprotected and her free to do as she pleased. Her bedroom door was no doubt locked from the outside. And even if she did get past that, there were probably men guarding the door to make sure she didn't escape and meddle with his plans.

"Well, two of those things are true," the mysterious woman replied. "The door is locked from the outside and there are two guards at your door, plus a few more downstairs. But when has that ever stopped you from sneaking out of this house?" The woman's green eyes glittered like emeralds.

Whoever she was, she was right. The kitchen wasn't the only way to sneak out of this house. But after what happened last time didn't Diamond bind her? She flexed her arms and legs, finding that they were unbound. The mysterious woman held up a piece of rope.

"Figured I'd lend a hand," she said with a smile and got up off the floor. She offered Serenity a hand up and she gratefully took it. When she stood, she let the small bout of dizziness subside before glancing at the red-haired woman.

"Do I know you?"

"No, but I know you, Serenity Tsukino and if we do this right, we'll be able to rid the world of two monsters tonight."

"Monsters? What are you talking about?" The red-haired woman ignored her and turned her back to help Serenity's father. Sometime during their exchange he had woken up and was looking at the two of them wide-eyed and confused. His wrists and legs were bound. The mystery woman leaned down to start working on the complex set of knots. Serenity followed suit.

"You know what I'm talking about, Serenity. But maybe this will help. One of the monsters we'll defeat tonight, isn't really a monster at all. He was a beast, until he met you."

Serenity frowned over the knots she was busy undoing. A beast until he met her? What was this woman talking about? Unless…her hands froze as she realized what was going on here and what this woman meant. Endymion had been cursed to cave into his darkest desires, he'd became a beast and the only way to break that curse was to find someone who loved him despite it. That was her. But the only people who knew about the curse were those who lived within the walls of Chiba Manor. And…

She turned to face the red-haired woman. "You," she breathed in understanding. "You're the one. The woman who cursed Endymion."

The woman tilted her head to the side as she undid the final knot holding Serenity's father's hands together. "Hm. That somehow wasn't the reaction I was expecting. Most people would have called me a witch. An enchantress. A devil woman."

"I've watched enough movies and read enough books to know that you don't want to piss off the woman who cast such a spell. Besides, you can't be too bad if you're here helping me. Why are you here?"

"A good question, one that I'm not entirely sure the answer to myself. All I know is that Endymion has surprised me in the last few months and you are mostly the reason why. I don't usually meddle in the affairs of my cursed, but for this one I thought I had to make an exception."

"That answer makes no sense, but thank you all the same." The final knot on the rope binding her father's legs gave way.

"Don't thank me yet, Serenity," the woman said as they helped the man to his feet. "We have to get out of here and to Endymion's manor before it's too late." It was a directed comment and Serenity took the meaning clearly. Making sure that the woman could handle her father's weight on her own, she then proceeded to the balcony doors.

She opened them as quietly as she could and shuffled out. She peered over the edge and saw that Diamond _had_ remembered that she used to sneak out that way. There were two men directly below. She quietly backed inside and turned to the mysterious woman.

"No good, there are two guards at the bottom of the balcony," she replied. "Even if there weren't, the climb down would kill me. My shoulder is still not what it was. We might have to go with Plan B."

"Which is?"

"No clue," she shrugged a hysterical laugh at the back of her throat. "I was hoping you'd have an idea."

The sharp look that the mysterious woman sent her told her that she in fact did _not_ have another plan. This was Serenity's childhood home. She was supposed to know every nook and cranny, but the problem was, Diamond knew it too and he would have every exit covered. So, unless, they could do a disappearing act they were stuck. And Endymion was going to die.

_Wait…disappearing act!_ Serenity thought. "How did you get in here?" She directed her question to the mysterious woman.

"I used my magic," the woman replied. "But don't even think about it. I can't transport three people at once. I can barely do it on my own."

A plan rapidly began forming in Serenity's head. "That's all we need," she said with a smile.

* * *

Rubeus DeWitt had been through enough to know when he had gotten himself into a shit storm. He'd been through a war, he'd been through prison, and there was that underground fighting ring when he had gotten in a little too deep. When the helicopter landed on the roof of one of the biggest houses he'd ever seen, he knew something was up. He'd been involved with a contracted unit for the longest time. If something needed doing he didn't ask any questions other than when, where and who. He didn't need to know why. Especially when the money hit his bank account.

He'd been kind of slow in the work department recently, until the other night when he gotten a phone call from someone by the name of D who told him how many men he needed, where they were supposed to meet, when he was supposed to be there and what he was supposed to do. It seemed easy enough, and the payday was going to make him a very happy man for the foreseeable future.

But something was wrong. He didn't know what it was, but when the helicopter landed and his men hustled out, there was some _thing_ in the air that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Something was going to be off about this op, he just didn't know what.

He tried to shake off the feeling as his guys surrounded him to get their orders. "Okay, men, the object is simple. There are five people in this house – one male, four females – our job is to make sure no one comes in and no one comes out. If you see the male, let him be, he's not ours to kill. The females are not to be harmed. If you see them shoot them with the tranq gun and gather them towards the entrance. When the boss is done he'll load them up and get them out of here. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir," the seven men echoed.

"Good, then let's move out." They moved through the door that led them from the roof into the dwelling and Rubeus swore that the feeling that something was off intensified. He'd never questioned his jobs before. Why was this one so different? He couldn't put his finger on it and he knew that he either had to figure it out or get out of his head, because one bad move and…

A flash of color got him out of his head. He signaled for his men to stop and they fanned out behind him, trying to see what he saw. The hallway was empty. There were doors on his right and left that led to other rooms, but they were all closed. So what had he seen?

"You all right there, DeWitt?" One of his men asked.

"I think so, I think I'm just seeing things," he replied with a shake of his head. "All right, back to the mission. Fan out and find these females. Remember, tranqs only." The seven men nodded and began to walk the hall, each stopping at a door. Rubeus took the immediate door on his right. He waited several seconds before he opened it and went inside his tranquilizer gun out in front of him. He searched the empty bedroom, checking every possible place and closet before he walked out of the room again.

In the hallway, three of his men stood outside their respective rooms that they had searched. But the others weren't there. Rubeus frowned as that feeling crawled up his spine again. If there was nothing in those rooms, like the others, then the other men should have been on the outside too. Something was off. He signaled what was left of his men to check where the others had disappeared to, before he stepped across the hall to the last door himself.

He stepped inside the room, but like the room he had searched, there was nothing there. Not even a trace that one of his men had been in there. Rubeus frowned, his weapon lowered to his side. What was going on?

"DeWitt!" A voice hissed from the entranceway. He looked up. "You're going to want to take a look at this." He followed his man out of the room and into the third door on the left. The other three men were standing in what appeared to be a sewing room at one point. It was hard to tell with white drapes covering most of the furniture. Except for a black shape on the floor, the room looked untouched. As Rubeus approached, it was clear.

The shape was one of their tranquilizer guns and it was missing the dart that was preloaded.

"Shit," he murmured.

"That's not even the worst part," his man said.

"And what is?"

"Take a look," his man pointed in the direction the gun was pointed. In the wood paneled wall was a hidden closet for the room. The door hadn't closed properly. And the reason behind that was there was a body there. One of his men. Passed out, cold.

"Shit," Rubeus said again. He was going to need backup. These women were not going to go quietly.

* * *

Kunzite was breaking about two, maybe three different driving laws. But he didn't care. As soon as Sapphire had admitted that Diamond had lured everyone away as a trap to get to Endymion he knew that he had made a mistake in coming with the other guys. Endymion wasn't the only one in that house. Mina was there too and all it would take was one stray bullet – or hell, just a bullet – and his whole world would end.

That's why when he found out that it was in fact a trap, he had gone for the helicopter. Only to find that it was almost out of gas and it would take too long to refuel. So he had done the impossible – no, immoral.

He hotwired a car. It wasn't anything flashy, but the car he chosen fit all four of them and had a bit of kick to boot. Hence why he was going one hundred down the freeway out of the city and getting the nastiest of looks from the cars he passed. Hopefully, he was going too fast for them to get the license plate number, because if they reported it to the police they would realize the car was stolen and that would not help things right now.

His knuckles were white as he clutched the steering wheel and maneuvered around a slow going minivan. He just needed to go a little further and then he would be off the freeway and into the country backstreets where at this time of night, no one should be on the road. The speedometer read 105 and it was inching up. He was surprised that the other guys hadn't said anything about the speed, but on the other hand, was he?

They had girls in the mansion too and if a bullet hit anyone… His foot slammed onto the accelerator some more as the thought of Mina being hit by a bullet, being killed, tore through him. He needed to get off the freeway and onto those country backroads, _now_.

The other three members in the car didn't dare say anything as Kunzite's grip on the steering wheel tightened even more. Jadeite was surprised that his knuckles didn't pop out some claws ala Wolverine he was clutching it so hard. But he couldn't blame his silver-haired friend. He knew what he was going through. Raye was in the house with Diamond too. And the last that they heard, she was going down to the study to warn Endymion of the danger headed their way. They hadn't heard anything from the girls since.

For all he knew, Raye was lying dead in Endymion's study. He inhaled sharply as the images floated through his head. His beast was quivering in anger, but there was nothing that he could do. Not while they were in the car on their way to hopefully save their friend and the women that each of them loved.

The car made a sharp turn and then they were bumping along as Kunzite finally got what he wanted and ended up on the country backroads. Nephrite was clutching his fists almost as hard as Kunzite was. He had made a grave error in judgement. He never should have asked for Lita to stay with them at Chiba Manor. She would have been better off back at the house that she shared with Serenity. But now because of his dumb actions she was probably going to die. Maybe. Possibly. He didn't know her all that long, but she was tough. At least, she wouldn't go down without a fight.

As Kunzite pushed his foot further down on the accelerator the only one who wasn't worried about the impending doom on the occupants of Chiba Manor was Zoicite. It might have been stupid and naïve, but he knew that Amy was smart and she would find a way to make sure that the other girls and herself would be safe. She knew that house backwards and forwards. She would find some hidden passage to hide within until it was all over.

Kunzite made another harrowing turn that almost caused the car to lose its traction before straightening it out and continuing on for another few hundred feet. With brute force he stomped on the brake and threw the car into park before jumping out of the vehicle. The other guys were on his heals as they ran up the stairs and to the front door that was already cracked open. Their pace slowed as they inched into the foyer and looked around.

Nothing looked amiss except for how quiet it was. They inched further into the hall and then Kunzite looked back to the others. He motioned to the stairs, hoping that the girls had been smart and sought refuge in one of the spare bedrooms. The other three nodded their heads and followed the silver-haired man up the stairs as quietly as they could.

The first few rooms they checked held nothing within. But as they got closer to the third room, they heard people talking and they weren't women's voices.

"Dude, this is bad," one of them said. "We were not expecting for this to happen! The girls were supposed to go quietly! Not take us out!"

"I know, but what can we do? We're under orders. We have to find them!" Another exclaimed. "Let's go through the closet! They have to be in here somewhere."

Kunzite and Jadeite were the first into the room and they had let their inner beast out to play. The three men who were in the room and looked like they were on a mission turned with a surprise and their fingers on the trigger of their guns. They never got the chance to pull them.

* * *

Raye, Mina, Amy and Lita were all huddled together in the back of a guest room closet. Amy had shown them that each closet had a secret back panel that connected all the rooms together. When they had heard the men come from the roof to take them out they had executed a plan of their own. Only the man that Mina was supposed to take out hadn't gone down without a fight. He had took too much time and before she could hide the body away the other men had come searching. And they had found him knocked out by one of his own tranqs.

The other three girls had come to get Mina, but she was too afraid to move. It was one thing for a surprise attack, but now that the other men knew what was going on their guard was going to be on high alert. So they had hid and listened, waiting for their opportunity to get out.

That was when the screaming started. They didn't know what was going on out there, but Raye wasn't about to sit around and find out. Taking the tranq gun that she had taken off the man she had taken out she hesitatingly made her way through the secret passage door and into…

It looked like a free for all. The four remaining thugs were being taken out one by one. As each body hit the floor, Raye couldn't help the smile that cut across her face. They weren't dead, or at least the two that Zoicite and Nephrite had taken out weren't. The two in Kunzite and Jadeite's possession looked a little bit worse for wear though.

"Jadeite," Raye said from the doorway to the closet. Nephrite and Zoicite turned to her in surprise as the other three women appeared behind her. Even Kunzite let the bloodied red haired man drop from his clutches as Mina appeared. But Jadeite kept pounding. "JADEITE!" She tried again. But he didn't hear her.

So she did the only thing she could think of. She set him in her sights with her tranq gun and pulled the trigger.

He plopped to the ground along with the other thug and didn't rise again. Kunzite, Zoicite and Nephrite all looked to the raven-haired woman with stunned expressions on their faces. She looked at each of them and shrugged. "He would have regretted it later."

The three nodded their heads without making a sound as their eyes roamed over the other three women behind her. Everyone was all right. That just left two…

"Where is Endymion?" Zoicite asked.

"We don't know," Lita replied.

"I was with him down in the study when Diamond arrived. He bought me time to get upstairs. I'm not sure what happened after that." The raven-haired woman lowered her weapon to the ground and went towards the knocked out blonde.

"The study was empty when we came in," Nephrite murmured as the realization dawned on all of them that that meant Diamond was somewhere in the house hunting down Endymion. With a gun.

"Oh, shit," Mina said for them all.

* * *

The plan was surprisingly simple. In theory. Since the red haired witch – Beryl, Serenity had found out her name was – didn't have the best of control over her disappearing and reappearing power with more than one person, they would only use the one. Beryl would disappear out of the room that they were all in and reappear in front of the guards that were in front of the door. She would knock them out using whatever means necessary and then unlock the door. Serenity and Beryl would then go throughout the house and knock out any guard that remained in the house so that way Serenity could make her escape to her car.

"I still don't like it," Serenity's father repeated.

"Why?" Serenity said with a frustrated sigh. "Because it involves leaving you behind?"

" _No_ ," Kenneth replied with a glare. "Because it wastes too much time."

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to knock out all these guards and then you'll go to your car. The drive back to Chiba Manor takes too long, even if you break a few speeding laws. There has to be a better way."

"Well, there isn't. You heard Beryl. She can't transport us all."

"Yes," Beryl nodded, but then tilted her head. "But that doesn't mean I can't just transport _you_."

Serenity blinked. "What?"

"I can transport you back to Chiba Manor. And then I can stay here with your father to make sure everything is okay."

The blonde opened her mouth to protest, but her father cut her off. "Don't try, Serenity. You were going to leave me here anyway. At least this way I have someone here with me. And a witch to boot."

She turned to the red-haired woman. "Are you sure you can do this? You said earlier that you had trouble just using this magic on yourself."

The woman smiled. "Yes, but that's because I have too many thoughts going on in my head. You are only going to be thinking about Endymion and his manor. You should get there in one piece."

Serenity swallowed sharply. She was planning on getting back to Endymion, if it wasn't already too late, but now that she had a clear shot to get to him she was nervous. She was going into a house where not only her friends but Endymion were trapped by Diamond. Who had a gun. And there was only one thing that he was after. Something that she was not willing to give him.

There had to be a way to stop him. She just needed to figure out how.

"Okay," she said with another sharp swallow. "Let's do this."

* * *

Endymion Chiba was hiding in his own room in his own house. An hour ago he wouldn't have hid. An hour ago he would have been killed by the madman that was in his house with a gun only so that way he could be put out of his misery. But that was before the madman told him what he most desperately wanted to hear. The woman he was in love with – and who he had foolishly let go – was in love with him too.

But that made things complicated because now he had a will to live, but the madman with the gun was still in his home and was still hunting him. So he did what any sane, almost twenty-five year-old man would do. He hid out on the balcony.

It was stupid and ridiculous. One wrong move and he could fall to his death, but he wasn't about to hide underneath his bed. Or in the closet. Or in the bathroom. Although, as he continued to stand there, he wondered if maybe he should have hid in the bathroom. At least in the bathroom, there were weapons. Out here there was nothing, unless he could somehow lift and throw that very heavy vase at Diamond's head before he got off a bullet.

He saw shadows move in his peripheral vision and held as still as he could. _That hadn't taken long_ , he thought to himself and watched the shadow move. The balcony door began to open and Endymion began calculating how fast it would take him to jump when the door closed again. He counted silently to fifty and when he reached it he slowly peaked out from his hiding spot and back into his room. No one was there.

He slowly reached out and turned the knob to go back inside and hoped that someone had been out there recently to oil the hinges. The door opened without a sound and he slipped back into his room. He silently walked towards the other side and thought he was going to be okay to check on the others when a flash of silver caught the corner of his eye.

He didn't even think. He just ran.

He made it through his door and out into the hallway when he heard footsteps behind him. And then the piercing bang. He felt the bullet go past his right side, and thanked whatever god was listening that this guy seemed to be a horrible shot. He kept running. This time he also bobbed to make sure that Diamond's aim was still horrid.

The pounding footsteps continued behind him, but thankfully the shooting did not. He made it to the stairs and took them two at a time going down, when his foot caught on one of the steps and he went flying down. He landed on the second landing going down and felt something crack. As he made to get up a foot came kicking towards him. It hit him right in the side and he felt something else crack. This time he was pretty sure it was his ribs as he went down another flight of stairs.

"Did you really think you could outrun me?" Diamond panted the gun held out in front of him. "I've known the blueprints of this house for weeks in preparation for this event. I'm not going to let you escape."

With effort – too much effort if Endymion was being honest – he lifted himself off the steps and into a standing position. He was _not_ going to give Diamond the opportunity to kick him while he was down again. He wasn't going to give up. Not when he knew the truth.

"You realize this is a losing effort, don't you?" He found himself asking. His breath wheezed. Yes, he _definitely_ broke a rib…or two. "She _loves_ me. If you kill me that won't change anything. She will always hate you for taking me away from her."

"That's the thing, Endymion Chiba," Diamond said through clenched teeth as he lifted the gun and put the raven-haired male in his sights. "Love fades. And hers for you will, it may take time. But I will be there. Waiting. You? Won't be." He squeezed the trigger.

* * *

Serenity had to admit that out of everything she'd done in the last two years, this had to be one of the weirdest. Being transported by magic was just weird. One minute she was standing in front of Beryl and her father having them tell her that everything was going to be all right. The next she was going through some sort of multicolored vortex with one place on her mind. Endymion Chiba and his manor.

When she got through to the other side of the vortex she was back in the Chiba Manor. But not exactly where she wanted to be. She was in the foyer across from the staircase that led to Endymion's room and she almost cried out at the scene that greeted her when her eyes finally focused.

Endymion was against the railing of the bottom set of stairs and Diamond with the _gun_ was standing across from him. The gun pointed at his chest and Diamond was squeezing the trigger.

_Bang_. The horrible sound echoed through the empty hall, but instead of causing the room to freeze – for _her_ to freeze – it just signified her to action. She ran. She ran like the hounds of hell were at her heals as she made her way across the walkway and towards where Diamond and Endymion were. But as she ran she noticed something.

The bullet never hit flesh. At the last possible second, Endymion had ducked and rushed Diamond. This caused Serenity to stop running and watch. Endymion grabbed Diamond from around the back of his knees and hauled him down to the stairs below. The gun went skittering towards the foyer below and the two men began exchanging punches.

Endymion should have had the upper hand because he had rushed and surprised Diamond, but the effort took a lot out of him and he was lagging. Something was wrong with him and Serenity wasn't sure if she should get closer to inspect what.

A hand landed on her arm and she instantly swirled, thinking for a horrific moment that Diamond hadn't come alone when she recognized the group behind her. It was the girls and the guys – although two of them were carrying a zoned out Jadeite between them.

"You guys are all right," Serenity sighed with relief.

"We're all right? _You're_ all right," Raye replied with an even bigger smile. "When Diamond showed up here claiming that he had you captive I thought for sure I'd never see you again."

"I didn't think I was going to see any of you again. Diamond knocked me unconscious and held me prisoner with my father. But…" she turned around as she heard a moan of pain coming from below. The fight that had started on the stairs had now made its way to the ground floor and Endymion was laying on the ground clutching his side as Diamond – his nose dripping blood – stood above him with a triumphant smile on his face.

Serenity's heart stopped. _No_ , she thought. "We have to do something," she whispered. "We can't let Diamond kill Endymion."

Kunzite and Nephrite were placing Jadeite on the carpet and looked like they were ready to move when Mina brought up what looked to be a tranquilizer gun and began to aim for Diamond. Serenity was staring open mouthed when she barely caught the small movement out of the corner of her eye. Another tranq dart came flying through the air and caught Mina in the arm. She went down as if she was nothing but a plastic bag floating in the wind.

The others were on alert and Serenity ducked behind a potted plant as men in black came out of all the guest rooms and even more poured down from the hall. Diamond _hadn't_ come alone.

* * *

Diamond had paused in his pursuit of Endymion for just long enough that he was able to see a beautiful sight. Endymion's men and the other women that he had been housing were being surrounded by the contracted help he had hired. He smirked at the sight knowing that no one was going to get in his way now. Endymion was his to kill.

"Take a good look, Chiba," Diamond said. "Your friends are being round up as we speak. You are all alone."

The raven-haired man on the ground looked up at the walkway that connected the upper floor and cursed. His friends had made it back, but so had Diamond's hired thugs. Now, not only were they being hauled together, but the girls were too. Couldn't he keep anyone safe?

"Let them go, Diamond," he wheezed as he slowly sat up. "I'm the one you want."

"Yes, you are," he signaled for the men to stop what they were doing as Endymion stood up. "I'm glad you see that there are somethings not worth fighting. If it's any consolation, you didn't deserve her anyway." Diamond withdrew a knife from the waistband of his pants and lunged.

Endymion closed his eyes as he waited for the final blow to come. He had been lucky but he knew his luck had run out. But that was okay, because at least he had done it to save his friends. His sister. The women that Serenity cared for. After everything he'd put them through over the years it was about time he did something for them. Hopefully they would all live happily ever after now. _I love you, Serenity_ , he thought and tried not to scream as he felt the knife pierce his flesh.

* * *

Serenity knew that she was going to be too late as she snuck the other way away from the men that Diamond had hired to help him in his task. Endymion had stopped fighting if Diamond let the others go. That stupid, stupid man. So she crawled as fast as she could until she would be safe from being detected from the eyes of the hired men and then she ran. She ran as fast as she dared towards the stairs and to where she could see the metal of the gun glitter in the light.

She grabbed it midstride, turned, aimed, and fired. She didn't even feel the small kickback the pistol gave after being fired as she continued her frantic pace. All she cared about was the raven-haired man she was running towards. The one that was falling, his shirt covered in crimson with a knife protruding from his chest. She tried not to sob as she saw the sight, but it was no use her eyes were already blurry with tears.

_I was too late_ , she thought and fell to her knees in front of Endymion's body. Blood spread from where the knife stuck out of his chest and his breathing was shallow. Diamond had stumbled off to the side, his arm trying to reach behind his back, but he couldn't. His shirt was turning red too, but not as fast as Endymion's. She had missed.

His eyes found hers and widened in shock. "Serenity?" He whispered. "How?"

She still had the gun and this time pointed it directly at his chest where his heart should be. She didn't stop to answer him. She just pulled the trigger.

Diamond fell and by the time he hit the ground he was dead.

Serenity dropped the gun and pulled Endymion into her lap smoothing back his hair. His breathing was getting worse. "Amy, Zoicite!" She exclaimed knowing that they were going to be the only ones who could help her at this point. There was no chance that an ambulance would get to them in time. And with those two…well, it was still a long shot. But she had to do something. She couldn't just sit there holding him as he died and her heart broke into a billion irreparable pieces with him.

"Sere…" Endymion murmured his eyes flickering open and finding hers. "You're here. You came back."

"Of course, I did," she replied tears flooding down her cheeks. "I couldn't leave you."

A small smile appeared on his face. "I love you," he whispered before his eyes closed and his breathing stopped.

"No," she said frantically. "No, Endymion, don't you dare stop breathing. Come back to me, Endy. Please." She moved and began pounding on his chest, administering CPR…or at least from what she remembered of it back when she did CPR training in high school. She wasn't doing a good job of it and when Raye gently pulled her away and let Zoicite and Amy take over she cried into her friend's shoulder. This could not be happening.

"Still nothing," Amy murmured tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Serenity, Raye, I'm sorry, but he's…" Zoicite trailed off his eyes red-rimmed.

"No," Serenity breathed and went back to Endymion's side. His heart beat no longer and he looked somewhat peaceful in death that smile still on his lips. She cried into his chest not even realizing that a crowd had formed behind her. Kunzite, Zoicite, Lita, Amy, Raye, and even Jadeite who had awoken from his tranq gun haze were there. The men that Diamond had hired were disappearing before the cops came. And Mina was still on the walkway sleeping off her tranq dart.

No one dared approach the blonde as she continued to weep into Endymion's chest.

Except one.

No one was sure what had happened but one minute it was just them by the body the next the auburn-haired witch that the guys remembered from a cold March night three years ago was standing there. She looked down at the blonde crying and knelt down beside the body herself.

"Serenity," the witch whispered.

The blonde peered up with tears still streaming down her face. "Beryl?"

"You know what you have to do."

"What do you mean? Endymion is dead. He can't come back from that. I've lost my chance to tell him how I really feel."

"Have you?" The witch countered. "Remember, Serenity, that a declaration of love has its own powerful magic." The witch stepped away and left the blonde to stare after her before she looked down at the man whose chest she had made her own personal snot rag.

"I love you, Endymion Chiba," she whispered.

Nothing happened. At first. Then the lights flickered out and the doors opened as a gust of wind blew through the room. Whatever it was, wasn't natural as the wind picked up Endymion's body from the floor and then began to spin. It reminded Serenity of the multicolored vortex that she had traveled through to get back to the mansion. With each twist the wind changed colors until finally the vortex gently placed Endymion back down.

Serenity didn't dare to hope as she watched the body that was now crumpled in on itself for any signs of movement. The lights flickered back on and the wind was gone in an instant. Everyone quietly stared waiting for something, anything to happen.

A muffled groan caused the blonde to bite back a sob of hope. The crumpled body began to move, to sit up and then slowly, shakily stand.

She didn't remember standing up, but she did remember running across the space between them and stopping just short. "Endymion?" She murmured the tears freely flowing again. He whirled around and his azure blue eyes found her cornflower blue ones. Each pair held a question.

"Serenity? How…" he trailed off as her eyes took him in. His shirt was still soaked in blood, but the knife and the wound it had wielded was gone. "I could have sworn that I was dead."

"You were," she replied. "I thought I lost you, but…I had some help." She pointed behind her to where she had last seen Beryl and Endymion's gaze found the witch's with a raised brow. He had not been expecting to see her again. Beryl smiled and then in a blink of an eye was gone, her job done.

"The witch brought me back?" He asked.

"No," the blonde shook her head. "Breaking the curse did."

Endymion blinked as the realization hit him that he had forgotten about the curse again. But apparently it didn't matter. He was no longer cursed, which meant… "You love me?"

"So it would seem," she said with a slight twitch of her lips. Lips that he _desperately_ wanted to kiss. He lowered his head to do just that when someone cleared their throat. He peered up and looked directly at the group of his friends that were watching all of this highly amused.

"We hate to interrupt this love fest," Raye said with a grin. "But there are some things we need to take care of before we all get our happily ever afters."

* * *

To clean up the mess that the fight and intrusion by Diamond's hired thugs caused took four hours. Unfortunately, the police had to be called because of Diamond's body. Luckily because of the situation with Diamond and Serenity from the month before, the police didn't even bat an eye when Serenity and Endymion explained what had happened. It helped too that Serenity's father – who was okay except for a few knocks to the head – had matched his statement to theirs.

After the police left for the night with assurances that if they had any more questions they would call, everyone was too exhausted to do much else. Mina and Kunzite with sparks in their eyes disappeared to Kunzite's room, while Jadeite and Raye did the same. Amy went towards her original room, but Zoicite stopped her by just placing his hand on her lower back. A whole conversation seemed to take place with that one touch and they disappeared together. Lita didn't even say anything as she dragged Nephrite's surprised hand and took him upstairs.

Serenity tried not to laugh at the astonished expression the brunette male's face, but it was hard not to. As soon as Lita and Nephrite disappeared it left just Endymion and Serenity in the foyer. They hadn't spoken since she had confessed that her love had broken the curse and brought him back to life. And she didn't know what else there was to say. Especially not now when she was so tired she could probably just lay down on the floor beneath her and be asleep in seconds.

As if sensing her wariness, Endymion approached from behind and whispered in her ear, "Shall we? Or are you going to refuse to sleep until all your work is done again?"

A smile tugged at her lips as he referred to their first time together. "I just might refuse…" she said a playful lilt to her voice. "But I am exhausted."

"Then let's get you into bed," he trailed off as parts of him began to stir. "To _sleep_. There will be plenty of time for other things later." He put his arm around her waist and began walking with her towards the stairs. She leaned into his body and tried to fight her drowsiness.

"You're feeling pretty sure of yourself," she mumbled as he showed her down the hall to his bedroom.

"You did say you love me," he pointed out. "Truthfully I'm still waiting for you to run." The statement fell from his lips without him thinking too much about it. But even as he said it he realized that it was true. Even though she had broken the curse by declaring her love, she still could decide that all of this wasn't worth it.

Serenity didn't say a word until he let her into his room and closed the door behind him. When he did she turned to him and forced him back against the door. "I'm never going to run. I chose you the minute I decided to come back here. I chose you again when I told you I loved you to bring you back to life. So don't think that I'm ever going to run. I'm staying right here, until you tell me otherwise. I love you, Endymion Chiba even if you are a gigantic moron."

He didn't even reply. Instead he did what he'd been wanting to do since he had come back to life. He kissed her and her lips were just as addictive as he remembered them. He felt himself stirring again and realized that they really needed to stop having passionate conversations against walls and doors. It always led to some extraneous activities afterwards. So much for getting any sleep.

* * *

Mina and Kunzite fell asleep in each other's arms and for the first time since the curse had been cast Kunzite slept the night through without any nightmares. When he awoke the next morning he found himself curled around Mina and she was wiggling in a way that made him realize just how early it was.

"Mina," he growled into her hair.

"Kunzite," she mocked and turned herself around so that way her front was plastered against his.

He groaned again. "What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She asked. "Now that you're no longer cursed…" Kunzite's eyes opened as he realized that the night before hadn't been a dream. He was no longer cursed. Serenity had done the impossible and saved them all. Which meant…

He smiled a feral smile which caused Mina to quake in all the right places. "Remember, you asked for this." He said before he lowered his lips to hers.

* * *

Jadeite woke up naked in the bathtub and his raven-haired beauty was nowhere in sight. His head was pounding like he had one too many drinks and he was thoroughly confused. How had he ended up here? And why was he naked? He didn't get any answers, even when Raye herself walked into the bathroom. She threw him a disgusted glare before grabbing her toothbrush.

"Raye," he said softly. "What happened?"

She spat her toothpaste into the sink. "What do you think happened?"

He honestly couldn't remember. He remembered going upstairs last night after everything had quieted down with Raye. After that…it was a giant blur. "Raye, please…" he pleaded.

She threw down her toothbrush and stalked over to him, her eyes enraged. "You went to go take a shower and asked me to join you. I told you I would wait for you out in the bedroom. But you never came back. When I went to check on you I found you like this with the water running. You _fell asleep_."

He frowned. So what if he had fallen asleep in the shower? That tranq gun dart had really taken a lot out of him. But why was Raye so pissed off. Unless…he turned his gaze back to hers and her eyes were burning with rage. She had waited up for him. "I'm sorry that I kept you waiting," he murmured. "But you know how I like to take the clothes off of you myself." With a gentle tug he had her falling on top of him with a surprised yelp.

* * *

Amy woke up the following morning with someone kissing her neck. She blearily opened an eye to find Zoicite grinning down at her. "You are way too perky this morning," she mumbled and closed her eyes again. After the night before she could honestly sleep for two more days, which was saying something since usually she was a morning person.

"I'll give you a few guesses why," Zoicite replied with another kiss, this time to the corner of her mouth.

"Just because we slept together you're this happy?"

"Oh, you have no idea how long I've waited for this," he said with laugh. "But there's something else…something that I want to ask you."

She felt him move off of her and she sighed in defeat. Obviously she wasn't going to be getting anymore sleep today. She opened her eyes and searched the room to find her auburn-haired man. He was still in bed next to her, but he was leaning across the bed to the nightstand beside it. When he found what he sought he closed the drawer and turned back to her.

"Amy Pots," he began. "I hope you don't mind if I don't get on one knee for this, but I've been in love with you since we were kids and if there is anything that the curse has taught me is that I'm not going to waste one more moment. Will you marry me?"

Her stunned expression took in the ring and then his smiling face. He was in love with her. Zoicite, who could have had any woman he wanted, wanted her. To be his forever. It was stupid that she had to even think about it when she already knew her answer. "Yes, of course I will," she said with a watery grin.

Zoicite let out a whoop of joy before taking the ring out of the box and placing it on Amy's third finger of her left hand. He kissed her passionately until they were both breathless and then pulled away. "You know the guys aren't going to believe this," he said with a slight laugh. "I'm pretty sure most of them had bets if I would ever work up the nerve to ask you."

"Well, then, let's go and collect," Amy said with a laugh of her own. She went to pull the sheet off of her, forgetting for a moment that she was completely naked beneath it. He caught a glimpse of the naked flesh and gently pushed her back down onto the bed.

"Later," he said with wicked gleam in his eyes. "There is something more important that I want to do."

* * *

Nephrite awoke alone and confused. Last night had been one of the strangest nights of his life. The curse had finally been broken and he had thought that he had spent it with Lita. He remembered her dragging him to his room. He remembered a kiss that had set most of his body on fire and he remember falling into bed with her. But that was it. Nothing else had happened. They had slept and it had probably been the best sleep of his life.

But now she was gone. And his thoughts were finally able to catch up with him. What had that kiss meant? He knew that he desired the brunette. He had even told her as much, but he wouldn't let himself touch her when the curse was intact. But now that it wasn't, what did it mean for them? Did it mean that they were going to explore their feelings for one another? Or was it just some compilation prize?

The only way to know was to track her down and ask her. He got out of bed and left his room knowing exactly where to look.

He found her in the kitchen whipping up breakfast for the house. She looked to be mixing up pancake batter when he walked in.

"I know, you're hungry, but breakfast isn't done yet," she said with her back towards him. "I'll have it ready…oh. You." Her eyes met his and he could tell that they were wary. She had stopped mixing.

"Me," he said just to break the silence. "You got an early start."

"I figured everyone was going to be hungry after last night," she replied and resumed mixing.

"Uh huh. Are you sure you weren't trying to avoid me?"

"And why would I avoid you?"

"Because you kissed me last night and slept in my bed. You don't think I want to discuss what that means?" He walked up to the counter and took the mixing bowl from her arms.

"I'm sure you do," she said with a sigh. "As do I, if I'm being completely honest."

"Okay, then, let's talk about it. You kissed me."

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because…" Lita trailed off and then met his gaze. "Because I wanted to. I've wanted to since you came into my kitchen and confessed that you've had sex dreams about me."

"Had. Still having," he leaned in closer trapping her between the counter and his body. "It was very disappointing to wake up in that bed alone."

"I'm sure. But that's the problem, Nephrite, you said it yourself when you confessed about those dreams. We don't know each other. Don't you think we should, before we jump into bed together?"

He mulled this over for a minute before he took a step back from her giving her space to move. "You're right. We should. So...Lita, will you go out on a date with me?"

"Y-yes," she sputtered in surprise. For some reason that had _not_ been the reaction she'd been expecting.

"Good. Now can I kiss you?" He leaned in close and was just about to place his lips over hers when someone cleared their throat. The two of them separated quickly and looked over sheepishly to the door of the kitchen.

Everyone was standing there, and Serenity was trying not to laugh again. "Sorry to interrupt. But we're kind of starving."

"Hold your horses. Breakfast will be ready in a few!" Lita exclaimed and turned back to her mixing bowl and frying pan. Nephrite turned to help her, but Serenity and the other girls ushered him out of the kitchen.

"Out, out," Mina said with a gentle push. "If you try and help her, we're never going to eat."

He walked out of the kitchen with a dejected expression on his face, before the girls turned to each other. Mina let out a squeal of delight while Serenity, Amy and Raye tried to help Lita with breakfast prep.

"I can't believe it," Mina said with a sigh as Raye handed her a basket to fill with muffins. "Out of all the craziness of the last two months we all ended up with boyfriends."

"Yes, who would have thought that that one phone call from Endymion Chiba would have changed my whole life?" Serenity asked sarcastically. "Although I have to admit there are some events I could have honestly done without."

"True," Raye replied as she poured milk into a glass pitcher. "But those events made you and your relationship with my brother stronger."

"And your relationship with Jadeite?" Serenity countered with a knowing grin.

"God, I can't stand him," the raven haired girl said with a smirk. "But he makes me happy."

"Mina?" Serenity asked with an eye roll.

"Kunzite is perfect," the other blonde replied. "He's serious to my spunky. He'll keep me in line when I get a little too overexcited and I'll lighten him up if he gets too dark. I love him. What about you, Lita?"

"I don't know," Lita said as she flipped a pancake. "Nephrite and I are just getting to know each other, but…he's the first guy I've dated who doesn't remind me of any of my ex-boyfriends so I think that's a good sign."

The girls continued to work until Serenity nudged Amy. "You've been quiet," she remarked. "What about Zoicite?"

"Well," the blue-haired girl said and the whole kitchen stopped to look at her. "I love him, a lot, and we're…um…getting married?" She sheepishly held up her hand and the ring sparkled underneath the kitchen lights. The others gasped in surprise before surrounding her and offering her congratulations.

Attracted to the noise, the guys came back and when they saw what was going they turned in surprise to their auburn-haired friend who smirked and offered out his palm. "Pay up," he said with a laugh. The others put bills on his outstretched palm and as Endymion added his twenty to the pile he looked across the room and met Serenity's eyes.

She was smirking, but in her eyes was something that he never thought he would ever see directed towards him. Love. And as he took in the room of his friends and their lovers, he realized that the curse may have brought him and Serenity together, but it had also done something more. It had brought together an extended family who had fought hard to make sure that not only did they get their happy endings, but that he had gotten his as well.

THE END!


End file.
